But HOW Do I REALLY ‘Find my Fit’?
If you haven’t yet found the workout routine or movement practice that works for you, you’re in the right spot!
I’ve spent decades working with clients and training other people to learn to work with clients, and here is what I know to be true:
-there is no “one-size fits all” approach to ANYTHING, and ESPECIALLY something like fitness.
We are inundated with messages that we must work out hard for 75 days straight or, get up at 5 am or, focus on cardio, or focus on strength, it’s confusing and overwhelming. And, more often than not, all of these mixed messages result in us choosing not to do anything.
If you’re still searching, here are some questions to consider:
-What has worked for you in the past to create a new routine? And not limited to a new fitness routine, but also maybe a new routine in another part of your life, from which you can draw skills to aid in building a new fitness practice.
-What do you know does not work for you? (and if you’re working with a fitness pro or coach, share this with them. They should be open to learning this about you and value your insights when building your program). If it hasn’t worked before, try something else this time.
-What do you like? Revolutionary I know….but can I tell you how often I hear people about to try something they don’t like? If you don’t like it, you’re not going to stick with it long-term. What kind of movement do you enjoy? And if you haven’t found that yet, what kind of movement have you always thought about trying?
-What do you know you need to do? That is, we all need to strength train for our muscles and bones (and growing research shows this is also a must for our brain too!). And we all need to do cardio for our heart health. These are musts, but the WAY we do them has flexibility. We can strength train on our own or with a group, with weights or bands or body weight. We can increase our heart rate with a walk, a swim, a dance, or many other ways.
-Other factors to consider when trying to find your fit: what amount of time do you have that is realistic and of value? Some give and take is needed here. If you’re only willing to sort 5 mins of strength training per week, that is not really of value. And the other side is important, too. If you think you’ll dedicate 5 hours per week, but that doesn’t actually fit your schedule, you’re not setting yourself up for success. We’re looking for the middle ground….what fits your schedule and is enough to start to see some change
-Also, when is the best time of day for you? Plus, what type of routines do you already have and therefore could stack some fitness on top of to aid in successful behaviour change?
-Finally, who are all of the players in the game? Meaning who do you need on board to help with this? Babysitter? Partner? Manager at work? Remember the more people on your team, cheering you on, the more successful you’re likely to be. BUT you’ve got to ensure you communicate the importance of this to your teammates, right? They can’t read your mind. Share your goals with them, and share what you’ll need from them to achieve this goal.
Cheering you on to keep trying!
Deanna