Getting consistent and effective results from your fitness schedule is the key to maintaining a good level of fitness over the long term. You may need to make changes to the way you approach working out to become more effective.
Effective results from fitness don’t necessarily come from working out harder or longer. In fact, if you’re not working out effectively, then just adding more to your fitness schedule may do more harm than good. At the very least you’ll become disappointed when all of that extra activity doesn’t turn into results.
Like most things in life, the change really starts with your mindset. When you set an intention, and really focus on the goals you want to achieve, then action will follow. Believing that you’ll see great results from your workout will get your mind focusing on the right things. And, it’s not all about the actual workout or fitness schedule you have. You’ll need to put changes into your lifestyle to make your fitness more effective. Things like your diet, the type of activity that you choose and even the people you workout with, will all impact on your results.
So, with a strong focus on your fitness goals, and a belief that you can do it, here’s five fitness changes you can put in place to see even more effective results:
- Create a positive mindset!
If you go into your new exercise programme thinking it will be part of the ‘cure’ for being too lumpy, lazy, lethargic… it just isn’t going to motivate you in the long term. It’s important to focus on the changes that you want to see in your life. But create a series of achievable goals that you can reach for, one week, one month, and one year from now. By achieving these goals, and celebrating your success along the way, you’re much more likely to exercise over the long term.
Remember, exercise should never be a punishment. Exercise is about making the most of the body and life you’ve got, a way of celebrating and looking after the very important you!
- Make your workout schedule realistic
You need to be able to repeat your workout schedule; again, and again, and again. It’s all about consistency when it comes to your fitness. It really is a case of the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. It’s always tempting to head into a full on routine in order to get results fast. But it’s all about making your plan fit in with your life so that it doesn’t get pushed to one side when something more important comes along. So make your schedule realistic, work it in around your life, and then stick to it like glue.
Trying to workout every other day and giving up after 6 months will never give you the results you need. Your far better off working out just one or two days a week, and keeping it up over years. A realistic schedule will get you much closer to your goals.
- Look at your food intake
This is not an article about dieting! It’s not about cutting out everything you enjoy because it’s bad for you. Cutting out all the things you love just isn’t sustainable. And you can’t guilt trip yourself into eating well. That sort of negative mindset will set you up for failure quicker than anything else.
It’s much more about focusing on making sure you get enough of the good stuff like lean protein and plenty of fruit and veggies. Ensure your diet is varied so that you’re getting lots of vitamins and minerals. And instead of thinking about what you can cut out of your diet, focus on what you’re putting in. If you eat right you’ll feel better and have more energy to exercise. When you’re exercising effectively, you feel like eating well, so it becomes a really positive cycle.
- Work out with someone else
It’s easier to cancel a session when you’re accountable only to yourself. Make a commitment to a friend and give them permission to drag you kicking and screaming out of the house if you try to come up with an excuse. Watching each other become fitter and stronger is a real motivation boost too.
Just be careful who you pick to workout with. If your workout partner is as likely to convince you to skip a session, as you are to yourself, then perhaps think about someone else.
- Vary your workouts
Your body adapts to exercise quickly; by doing different workouts you will get results much faster. For instance, if walking is your thing, on some days do a long flat walk and on other days do a faster uphill one. Or, if you can’t get out of the house, try creating your own circuit with some weights, yoga or pilates, and skipping.
Mix it up, keep it fun and focus on working out different muscle groups.
