Staying on track with a new exercise program.

Now I don’t know if you have done this before, but I know of people that have in my life. Where you start a fitness program, you are all hyped and ready to give it 110% of yourself and then within a week, maybe two, it all fizzles out and you give up before you’ve even really got going. Does that sound like you? Is that a reason why you may have not wanted to start working with someone sooner because you feel as though you may just quit and waste someone’s time? Well here is some honesty for you, it is completely normal to come off the tracks every once in a while. It is reason why I pride myself on being able to make this as enjoyable as it can be to lessen those risks. So I’ve devised a few ways to help you keep on your fitness journey.

1. Set goals.

It is amazing how many people just say that they want to be thinner/leaner/muscular/toned and that is it. It is very valid to want those things, but it is also too broad and also is you are a good 6-12 months away from that sort of realistic shape, then we need to keep realistic goals. If you are new to fitness maybe just putting down ‘I want to ensure that for the first 3 weeks I keep to my meal plan.’ That is a lot more achievable and now as far-fetched as the other option. Big goals are amazing, and I am not saying that we should steer away from them. But we need to be able to chop them up in little goals that we are hitting regularly and giving ourselves that little oxytocin boosts every once in a while, to keep us on track.

2. Make it super fun

Exercising should never be seen as a bane of your life; it is an amazing thing to be able to do. Regardless of whether you are spending your time within a gym or out on a football field with your friends. This should be fun and also really good for you, so it is basically a win-win option! Though a lot of exercise plans are gym based, it doesn’t mean that you can’t go and find something that makes you happy and is fun for you. Don’t want to spend an hour on the treadmill twice a week, then go find a sport that gives you the time you need for cardio but also keeps you entertained and allows you to socially interact with people, maybe these people can also help you keep to your goals.

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3. Routine is amazing

Start making that routine for yourself, a lot of people say that they don’t have enough time to go to the gym or play a sport and honestly that’s okay. But what we need to do is change your mindset too it and just make exercise part of your new routine. I know people that love watching a certain TV series, now instead of sitting at home watching it once a week they are walking on a treadmill watching it on their phone as they walkout. Believe me, excuses don’t live in my house so you can tell me anything and I’d be able to twist it so you can at least train a couple of times a week. Depending on your goals, depends on how much you need to dedicate too it. But making it just part of your weekly routine always helps make it easier to adapt too.

4. Document

Not enough people do this, but document what you are doing and when, you can even document how you felt about it! Did it make you feel amazing? Did you go for a walk and have a lovely conversation with yourself about your life and where it is going? Did you meet someone new today? Did you hit a new PB? All of these things are positive. Even if there was a negative, like you couldn’t preform the same as you did last week, document it so we can improve it later on.

Last but not least I want you to be flexible with yourself. Changing your life in a fitness sense is not done overnight. It takes time and effort and sometimes can be a little overbearing, a little too much to handle so you need to be kind to yourself. If you require a ‘me’ day then take one, if you feel fatigued and burnt out, do not push harder and be kinder to yourself as this is a long game that we are playing.

Thank you to all the amazing people that have been sending in suggestions of topics they’d like me to write about, if you have any more you’d like to add please just message below or DM me on Instagram @charliejohnsonfitness.