Back-To-School Fitness

The start of a new school year is a reminder that it’s never too late to go “back to school” and revise your workout strategies. We have noticed incredible progress when our clients realize they don’t have to stay stuck in their old habits or lifestyles.
Just because the last few times you tried to get in shape didn’t work out the way you planned doesn’t mean you will fail this time. Just because you didn’t grow up playing sports or didn’t stay active in your 30s and 40s doesn’t mean you can’t start now and have phenomenal success.

Making sustainable, positive changes in any area of your life will present challenges. That’s okay! Those challenges are not a reflection of your lack of will power or dedication, as others might have you believe. We keep our clients moving forward by coaching them past setbacks and helping them learn new skills. Here are four keys to keep in mind.

Start small. It’s tempting to ride the momentum when you’re feeling fired up about making changes. As you already know, motivation can be quite a fickle friend. Real, lasting progress requires small tweaks to your existing routine and building on successes. If you need to sleep more, aim to get to bed just 15 minutes earlier. Or, if you’ve been out of the exercise game for a while, try no more than three workouts a week. We live in an all-or-nothing, “go big or go home” culture. It’s so important to resist the urge to apply those unproductive, ineffective approaches to health and fitness.

Tweak your goal. As we touched on above, modifying your actions and habits works best when you are personally invested in the end goal. Getting to the gym might feel like a chore if the only reason you’re going is because your doctor told you to. Conversely, if you want to get stronger and fitter to keep up with your grandkids during an upcoming vacation, you’ll probably exercise more consistently and perform better during your workouts.

Use positive self-talk. Part of what sustains your old habits and holds you back from rewarding changes is how you talk to yourself. The body of research linking negative self-talk to poorer mental and physical health is growing by the day. Even if it feels forced and awkward, work to consciously celebrate your strengths and achievements, instead of only harping on what you want to “fix.”

Consult a professional. Whenever I want to do something efficiently, I seek the help of an advisor. A good fitness professional understands the hard work you’re putting in and the struggles you might face. He or she should be able to offer new strategies and remind you of your capabilities. If you’re feeling burned out, discouraged or bored, set up a consultation. You’ll hear options you didn’t know existed and learn how to reframe strategies to maximize your results for the time spent.

*Matthew Daniel is head coach at True 180 Fitness in Georgetown. Information about his 14-day trial may be found at true180.fitness.*