Welcome to the first edition of my Fitness series! In this article, I will give you my hacks that helped me begin my fitness journey and stick to it. However, even though these hacks will help you get started, the most important thing that you can implement right now is to just get moving.
Our lives today are way too sedentary, especially those of us that work in an office environment and/or work from home for the majority of the week. Throw in some Netflix, PlayStation, iPhones and it all results in us sitting for most of the day. We as humans were meant to move, and we simply just aren’t moving enough.
Movement is life.
I believe walking is one of the most underrated exercises that we can do. Walking provides us with so many benefits, not just physically, but mentally as well. Take a walk through nature…now that’s a win-win! So, what can you do to start change today? Simply go for a walk…take the scenic route, walk to a café for that work meeting instead of using a meeting room, park your car a bit further away from your destination, get off the bus one stop earlier, take the stairs instead of the escalator or lift…it all adds up!
I get it though…I’m a bit of a 0% or 100% guy myself. I kind of either do something to the fullest or I don’t do it at all. Now I’m not saying that this is necessarily a good or bad thing, but when it comes to our health, I believe that it’s most important to just get started…because there will never be a perfect time.
We keep telling ourselves…I’ll start exercising when I have more time, when I’m not so pressured at work, when I have more money, when the kids get a bit older, when I gather more information about the right form and techniques, after that big event, on 1st January…and so on and so on.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now”.
– Anonymous
Whenever I have a work report to complete, I always try to just start writing. The times when I try and come up with the perfect first sentence or perfect first paragraph, I usually end up procrastinating. But when I simply just start writing, whatever it may be, it could be the start, middle or end of my report, the words end up flowing onto the page. Then I can simply tidy up the words, rearrange sentences, patch up the holes and almost half the report is done!
The same applies to your fitness…don’t get bogged down in being 100% prepared. If you’ve got a floor in your room (I’m assuming you do!), then there’s your push-ups, sit-ups and squats done. Got a break coming up? Head outside for a walk, jog or a run. There’s no need for the expensive outfit, tailored exercise schedule or the perfect time.
The perfect time is now…go get it!
Find your ‘Why’…
Your mindset is everything.
Before you embark on this journey, think about your ‘Why’? Why am I doing this? What is my purpose? What is this journey all about? This is probably the most important step. Why is it so important? Because I believe that what is going to keep you on track to achieve your fitness goals, is the combination of motivation and purpose. Not one or the other, but both. Let me explain…
Motivation is great, have lots of it! Motivation will get you to the gym when you want to go. Motivation will get your jogging shoes on when you’re free and the sun is shining outside. Motivation will get you working out when you’re having a great day.
But purpose is what gets you to the gym when you don’t want to go. Purpose is what gets you working out when the couch and Netflix looks so inviting, when it’s cold outside and pouring down with rain, when you’re having a shit day or week, when you think* you don’t have the time. Your purpose will keep you consistent.
So, what is your purpose? It could be that you simply want to love the person you see in the mirror every morning. Or that you want to set a good, healthy example for your kids. Or that you still want to be able to chuck the footy around with your grandkids. Maybe you no longer want to struggle walking up a few flights of stairs. Maybe you want to mentally feel better about yourself and have more confidence. Maybe you just want to live a long, healthy life…
Whatever you choose, it will be the thing that will keep you consistent. You see, fitness needs to become a routine, it needs to become your lifestyle. I don’t like brushing my teeth every day, but I just do it. I know that it’s good for me and I will regret not doing it. No one ever finished a workout and felt worse than before they started. Make fitness like brushing your teeth.
*Yes, you do have the time!
Drive slow
If you are out of shape and haven’t exercised in a while, you need to start things off slow. You see, your body didn’t get to its current state overnight…your body got to the way it is gradually. Whether it was by being too sedentary, unhealthy food choices, out of control portion sizes, high calorie intake or all of the above. Which means you need to slowly build your body back. It will take time…
But what does building your body back look like? Well, that’s up to you, as long as you take it slow. If we’re starting at the basics, let’s take walking for example, try putting your trainers on and walking around the house for a few days. Then try walking up your driveway to your mailbox and back for a few days. Then try walking for 5 minutes, then turn around and walk back home. Then walk for 10 minutes, 15 minutes, half an hour and so on. This will not only gradually build your fitness level, but also build your confidence. Soon you’ll be walking on a consistent basis and loving it. You won’t know how you existed without it.
Now let’s look at the ‘team extreme’ example. On day 1, you walk for hours, you end up really sore (or worse injured), you don’t want to walk again due to that soreness or injury, and the worst part is…you feel guilty, because you have failed. When you progress slowly, when you improve 1% (or even 0.1%) each day, it’s always a win!
This doesn’t mean that you won’t start to see results early either. Through exercise, you will immediately begin to feel better about yourself, have more confidence, be less stressed, move better and sleep better…the physical changes, however, will take some time. Keep at it though, the changes will come! Until then, enjoy the consistent release of all the positive chemicals (‘Happy hormones’) such as endorphins and dopamine…trust me, it’s worth it!
Remember…this is a marathon, not a sprint. Give it time and consistency. It’s all about the small wins and progress…no matter how small.
It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war.
– Miyamoto Musashi
Me getting a workout in on my trip to Thailand last year…there is no-off season when you’ve entered MONK MODE!
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