By: Taylor Empey, Nationally Certified Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Specialist
ISSA – CFT, SFN, SET, SSN, and Elite Trainer Level I
Many individuals feel that if they can find a “routine” that works for them, they can continue to perform that routine over and over again until they get into the shape they want. “I’ll just cut calories, and do more cardio.” or “Monday, Wednesday, Friday is all I need.” or “Can you just write me an upper and lower body workout that I can cycle each week?” These are comments that we hear much too frequently. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to fitness.
If you want to get in shape (and I mean it is truly a massive priority for you to get in shape), what you’ll need to do is anything but routine! The only thing that will be routine about your regimen is consistency.
It is consistency, perseverance, and determination that will provide you the endurance to push on towards your goals. It is not an easy road; ask anyone who’s done it and they will tell you about the muscle soreness, the fatigue, the self discipline, the meal plan, the day-in, day-out grind at the gym, the plateaus, the muscle confusion, drop sets, super sets, pyramids, high intensity intervals, etc. The list goes on and on, but if you truly want to reach your goals, you need to understand it requires a lifestyle change. You can’t keep the same old habits and then throw the gym in there 3 days a week and expect 10 dress sizes to be lost. It requires immense unwavering dedication and determination to make it to the end.
“Where you are in life is the sum total of every decision you have ever made up until this point”, which means that it is your habits, and your decision-making that got you there. This means in order to accomplish your goals, you can’t be the person you are currently; you have to become someone else entirely. You have to change your habits, your decision making, your thought patterns, your mindset, and your lifestyle in order to become the new you! It’s your old ways that got you to where you are now. Once you recognize this and rid them from your life, you’ll start to see progress.
Don’t just start the year of with another “New Year’s resolution” or another “routine”. Let today (not tomorrow) be the beginning of the rest of your life as the truly fit and healthy individual you deserve to be.