Happy New Year!!!!
It’s 2017, time to re-commit to our fitness goals!
I’m so proud of you all for choosing a fitness journey! No matter how you go about it, how many times you fall, how many times you struggle, just know that you are consciously making an effort, even if it isn’t the same as everyone else’s! You do everything you can possibly do, and I will be proud. You will never find judgment with me, just an urge to help you meet your goals and become the best possible version of yourself you can!
Not everyone’s fitness journey looks the same.
Here’s some tips to help you succeed.
Do it for yourself.
Studies show that people who hit the gym just to look good at a class reunion, to show up an ex, to look better for just a smaller amount of time — don’t stick with it. Those who are in it for a long run lifestyle change, and find things they enjoy eating and doing — those are the people who stick with it for the long haul. Do this for you.
Take It Slow.
Day one isn’t triathlon day, right? You should never fit every single exercise known to man into your first day of fitness! When you do too much way too soon, you end up sore, in pain, and the potential for injury increases exponentially because you may not know how to properly stretch, what your limits are, and how to do the exercises properly. Take it easy as you get started. Start off with something small, even if the number or amount sounds like you’re not doing much. When that becomes easy, you can make it more challenging. Remember — every little bit you do is more than someone else doing nothing! There’s no reason to compete against an invisible adversary who is doing 75 rounds of P90x a day. Do what you can do.
Don’t Stay Stagnant.
Keeping the exact same routine can make it really boring, really quickly! You don’t have to do the exact same things daily in order to get amazing results! You can switch that stuff up, and keep your body guessing! If you only train your body on one routine, you won’t realize your body’s full potential, and you’re way less likely to stick with a routine. That’s why my exercise program is 14 days! We want to keep it fresh!
Workout Besties.
If you bring along a friend with the same fitness goals as you, you’ll find it’s easier! You can lean on your girlfriend, tell her all about how frustrated you are by something, lament not being able to do something as well as you’d like, excitedly take before and after selfies, tag each other on Instagram, make it really fun! Your bestie probably knows all about your journey up until now, so it’s easier to talk to someone about that, instead of just holding it in. Close-knit friendships can help turn a workout into something you look forward to!
Workout Guilt.
Leave the guilt at home! You had a rough week last week, and for whatever reason, couldn’t commit to 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week – or an hour a day, 3 days a week. You just couldn’t swing it. That was last week. Don’t punish yourself for something like that, or you are more likely to become your own drill sergeant than your own friend. You can re-commit at any time — and life pops up and gets in the way sometimes! Even for me! As a wife, mother, and businesswoman, sometimes I have trouble sticking to every single commitment I have. You’re only one person. Give yourself credit for what you accomplish.
Realistic Goals.
You are one person. You will not lose 30 lbs in one week. Average weight loss can be 1-2 lbs per week, because you are also gaining muscle. At first, you might see 5lbs or a bit more gone in a week, especially if you are more than 100lbs overweight. But when that starts to even off, a lot of people become discouraged and frustrated, and begin to fad and crash diet to mimic their results. Please, don’t do this. It’s so much healthier to stick with a healthy diet and exercise regimen. You may be losing plenty of fat, but don’t see it because you’re gaining muscle, which weighs twice as much as cellulite, and helps burn it off automatically. Take photos, notice your difference. The number on the scale is really not everything.
Please remember the most important thing: Exercise is not punishment for what you have eaten, or what you weigh. Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do, not a punishment. When you view it as punishment, it can lead to very dangerous thinking, and disordered eating.
Please be good to yourselves, and each other.
I am so proud of all of you.
Happy Lifting!
Alli
Confidence Call:
Do it big, do it right and do it with style.
Fred Astaire