It’s been a great week at MAC Fitness! We’ve witnessed so many determined people working harder than ever on their fitness goals. Here are a few more tips to help get you there!
Missed Part One? Read it here.
3. Find A Partner!
Working out with a buddy is, admittedly, not for everyone. Some people feel more self-conscious and uncomfortable when some else is exercising alongside them. But I have seen so many people who seemed stuck in a workout rut start getting amazing results once they began to work out with a friend. There a many reasons for this phenomena. It can be a matter of accountability; knowing that you’re letting someone other than yourself down when you skip a workout can give you that push to get there even when you don’t feel like it. Sometimes it’s a matter of perspective; watching a friend push the incline on the treadmill higher than you’ve ever attempted can help you realize that it’s possible and allow you to try it for yourself. As your workouts with a partner continue, you’ll find that you are mutually pushing each other past self-imposed barriers, and getting awesome results! Also, people who train with a friend tend to find their workouts more enjoyable. As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun! An hour-long workout can seem much shorter. Plus, if you’re having fun, chances are that you will be more likely to stick with your new routine. Which brings me to my next point…
4. Do What You Love!
Saying that fitness can be fun is not a statement that everyone wants to hear, let alone believe. Many of us are stuck with this notion that working out needs to be torture, an awful punishment where we do things that we do not like, that hurt, or are ridiculously difficult. It doesn’t need to be this way! These days, there are so many options for improving one’s fitness that if you do not like something, there’s always another option. Hate the treadmill? Try an elliptical, a rowing machine, or a stepmill. Feeling trapped in the gym? Try a seasonal exercise- skiing or snow-shoing in the winter, hiking in the spring or fall, swimming or kayaking in the summer. Bored by endless hours of cardio by yourself? Try a class- spinning, Zumba, kickboxing, or step can really take your workouts to a new level in a fun and supportive atmosphere. Don’t want to trek to the gym in bad weather? Try the Fitness channel, or that workout dvd you’ve never got around to attempting. Try something new every week, every day, or every month. Eventually, you’ll have a bank of options that not only work for you and your personal goal, but that you also actually enjoy. Don’t be afraid of something new! Make 2012 the year that you fall in love with fitness.
5. Get Rid Of Guilt, Hang On To Joy.
I think that there are few things in this world as destructive as guilt. It eats away at us, brings down our self-esteem, and has the power to completely derail any fitness or nutrition goal if we let it. Don’t let it!! No one is perfect. Everyone has days when the couch and movie win out over going to the gym, or the lasagna wins over the grilled chicken salad. It’s ok! Enjoy your indulgence, but let it be enough to help you stay strong again for the next few weeks. Cheating on your diet a single time is NOT a reason to scrap the entire diet! Skipping a workout one time is NOT a reason to stop going to the gym all together! Every day is a new beginning, a new chance to get back on your healthy path. Do not let guilt make you give up!
You CAN do this. Get rid of fear, get rid of guilt, keep fighting every day, let nothing stand in your way. Start a Revolution for yourself! 2012 is your year!
