God, don’t you hate going to the gym? There is nothing wrong with admitting this simple fact. Exercise is hard work, and working out isn’t a walk in the park. First of all, you have to drag your body off of the couch and away from the TV (but what about Netflix?) Next, there needs to be plenty of healthy eating complimented with rivers of H2O. Got to keep the body regulated. And if this wasn’t enough there should be a healthy dose of self-confidence. Rock that treadmill, girl!
It’s no wonder the idea of getting into yoga pants and working out seems like a bad option. Better to stay at home and go the following day, which inevitably never happens. Sure, you’d love to turn into a gym junkie because the health benefits are wide-ranging. However, at the moment, you don’t have the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle.
But, for real this time, you want to make a change. You want to be the person who says without breaking into a cold sweat that they hit up the gym this week, multiple times. You’ve come to the right place. Underneath are the tips that will help with the transformation.
Make Exercise Realistic
“Okay, so in the first week I’ll bench press 250lbs and run a six-minute mile. Obviously, within a week I’ll be doing miles in less than five. Take that Roger Bannister!”
As tempting as this is, it’s a grave error that plenty of people make when enthusiasm runs high. In the beginning, it feels as if you can keep up the pace forever. Then, the goals begin to drop by the wayside and you lose your confidence. Think of all of the other times that you attempted to become a gym junkie – what was the problem? Usually, it’s a lack of motivation from unrealistic goals.
The best thing to do is to develop targets that are weekly-based rather than long-term. For example, say to yourself that you’ll visit the building with exercise equipment at least twice this week. That way, when you tick it off the list, you’ll feel as if you are maintaining a healthy routine. Leave the big stuff for later on when you’re a bona fide addict.
Forget About Weight Loss
Well, you shouldn’t forget about it completely because it’s an important part of hitting the gym. However, it’s not the only facet of working out. Too many people see it as the be all and end all and, weirdly enough, it’s an unhealthy attitude. Why? Let’s take a look at it in more detail.
Simply put, shedding the pounds isn’t going to happen by changing one behavior. To do it, you’ll need to think about everything from managing stress to vegetarianism. For those who don’t know, the WHO now list red meat as a cacogenic so being a red-blooded human isn’t a wise move. So, concentrating solely on weight loss will encourage you to quit before you get ahead of steam. It’s sad but true.
Instead, try and view the gym as one small part of a necessary lifestyle. For instance, you can start looking at exercise as an integral way to boost mood as well as burn calories. That way, it gives you more motivation to get the most out of your membership. Oh, and don’t forget about getting bang for your buck too.
Recover Well
Part of the target is to work out at least three times a week. The only problem is that your muscles feel like jelly after round number one. How the hell are you going to stick to the routine if you can’t walk? Isn’t it a health hazard?! Yes, recovery is essential as you never want to overwork the muscles. That’s when they feel the strain and injuries start to occur.
The trick is to leave enough time between each session so that you feel fresh and alive. Normally, one day should be enough to allow the muscles to repair themselves and remove lactic acid from the system. Granted, it may take longer in the beginning but you’ll get there. A post-diet meal is an excellent way to speed the process along if cheating is an option. Experts say it’s important to ingest protein as soon as the workout is over.
Or, a secret cure such as shilajit may appeal more. Used by the USSR team in previous Olympics, it’s a natural recovery agent because it contains iron and nickel. Both of these help to carry oxygen in the blood which relieves the O2 debt and prevents DOMS. At the very least, a cool down is crucial.
Be Ready For A Breakdown
Not only a physical one, although it will be inevitable at some point in the journey. What is far more likely is mental deterioration. At the start, everything is new and fresh and the routine is a challenging yet easy one. After a couple of months, it begins to get normal and loses some of its shine. Life does get stale when there is a lack of unpredictability. The gym is about as predictable as it gets.
Although seemingly counterproductive, there is a method that can help. All you have to do is admit that there will be a lack of motivation from time to time. Just like the way you feel now, you’ll encounter this emotion quite regularly further down the line. By accepting this as a fact, you can prepare now and get yourself over the hump. Tell yourself it is perfectly fine but you still need to go for healthy – mental and physical – reasons.
A trick that is out of left field is to change your normal customs. Yes, it can backfire but it can also add freshness and stop you from giving in to temptation. Maybe change the Monday night to a Tuesday and have two days off as a treat? The decision is yours and yours alone.
Have Fun, Not Kittens
We are all guilty of worrying about what others think. You may not know the person on the rowing machine next to yours, but you’ll be damned if he judges your performance. This isn’t the exercise version of The Voice. Only the person who is working out gets to say whether they are doing it properly or poorly. Everyone else can shut up!
It isn’t as easy as the last sentence makes it out to be because, well, humans get in their own heads. If there is the slightest whiff of being judged, then it can throw your gym game way off kilter. Please don’t let others use their negative thoughts to bring you down. Rather than that, focus on the most important thing which is having fun.
Sure, this sounds like a soccer coach trying to cover up the fact why the team is garbage, but it’s true. The only way to return to the scene of the crime, again and again, is to enjoy the process. Otherwise, it feels as if you are dragging yourself to the weight section and it will get old pretty fast. Do something that you love and block everything else.
Sync TV And Exercise
Yes, the dream is finally happening. You get to stay fit and healthy while watching the boob tube. Someone stick a fork in the toned flesh because you are well and truly done. Of course, the reality isn’t as fun as it sounds. In fact, it’s hard work keeping up with the developments while there is a metal bar hovering above your head. Still, people love what they love and can’t help but get enough of their fave series. Even if it’s painful, it’s enjoyable in a weird, Fifty Shades of Grey sort of way.
Hopefully watching TV during exercise will encourage you to do it often. After all, it’s the only way to get your fix. Alternative techniques include working out first and television later. Think of it like eating dessert after swallowing down your greens and veggies.
With Game of Thrones on the way and Westworld at its peak, you’ll have to break into a sweat ASAP. Otherwise, you won’t be able to talk to anyone without hearing a spoiler. It’s like being a recluse but you don’t get to watch TV either. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea!
Note It
The brain is an excellent storage facility, but it isn’t infallible. It’ll remember the big things like a birthday yet small details will fall by the wayside. Imagine being able to recall how far you have come over a six month period. If it sounds easy, then wait until the day arrives because there is a lot of data to recall.
Anyway, the mind can turn against you and make it seem as if you are failing. With a journal, it’s easy to flick to the first page and see where it all began. You may not have reached the top of the mountain yet but you can see how far you have come.
Tell the truth – does it seem as if you can the person who loves the gym?
