It’s January and that means all those New Year’s resolutions have started. By now, many have also ended. I see it in Louisville, KY, people start a fitness regimen as a beginner and just can’t stay motivated. You can arm yourself with ammunition to help improve your chances of success. It all starts with setting a specific goal that you can measure. It makes the goal more exciting when you know if you’re coming closer and you can redirect if you’re not. Set a goal, make it specific and have a way to measure it.
Sore muscles are part of the program, but injuries shouldn’t be.
It’s normal to want to do more in your first few weeks. You’re pumped and excited about working out. Unfortunately, that very excitement is also something that can destroy your motivation. If you workout too hard or too much initially, forget to warm-up or cool-down or don’t use the proper form, pulling a muscle or worse could be in your future. Take it slow at first and learn the proper form for each exercise. An injury can keep you benched for a long time.
Don’t expect immediate change.
Whether you want to build your endurance, lose weight or just get a stronger, fitter body, it all takes time. Don’t look for overnight miracles. You will start to feel the difference in a week or two and start to see physical changes in about four weeks. You might see a few pounds drop the first week if you’re also on a healthy diet, but it can get discouraging if you’re weighing in several times a day.
Create a schedule and make your workout an appointment.
Most people schedule appointments on their phone or have a planner they use. Add your workout session to your schedule and make it the same time every day. One of the biggest boosts to success is consistency, which includes the time of day you workout. By making your workout as important as any other appointment, you’re saying it’s important and not letting life get in the way.
- If your day is constantly changing, schedule your workout for the first thing in the morning to make sure you have the time to do it.
- Get adequate rest between strength building workouts. Your muscles need between 48 and 72 hours to heal, so don’t work the same muscle groups two days in a row.
- Track your progress and keep notes on how many sets and repetitions you’re doing. Make notes on how you felt. Add your method of measurement once a week, whether it’s how much you weigh, your body measurements or physical condition, like blood pressure reading.
- Never compare yourself and how you’re doing with other people. Every person is different. Only compete against yourself.
For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training