Over the years as a Fitness Coach, despite the variety of clients I’ve trained in the past decade, the most common fitness , workout, and nutrition questions I’m asked– are still the most common. Especially for beginners and those struggling to achieve their fitness goals and healthier lifestyle, this one’s for you. May this help you in becoming your best self in 2023 and on…
Is nutrition really half the battle when it comes to my fitness goals and becoming healthier?
Yes– actually it’s more than half. For energy, sleep, immunity, and physical results– and for weight loss goals specifically— nutrition is more like 70% (especially once you’re past your twenties…). If you’re daily nutrition consists of cigarettes, alcohol, 500ml of water per day, and take out– working out is helpful, but not nearly enough.
Check out other articles on the blog such as: 5 Tips for Meal Prep Success or 5 Ways to Improve your Eating Habits for more Nutrition focused reads
How often do I need to workout to achieve my goals?
3-6 times per week, 30 minutes to an hour per workout with varied intensity so that you feel like you’ve done something and so you feel good afterwards— this is essential if you are looking to continue working out as a party of your lifestyle.
Key-notes to success:
- Lack of enjoyment stops just as many people as lack of results when it comes to their workout routines…
- The less often you workout, the more disciplined and less wiggle room you have when it comes to your nutrition…
- Daily habits (like showering or brushing your teeth) only come if we maintain consistency and have proper systems in place to succeed (i.e. accountability by working with a coach, having a program to follow, planning workouts in advance, and so forth…)
Starting 1-2 times per week is often a recipe for failure for long term success with your workouts. I’ve seen more people who start off saying, “I’ll start slow, then get more frequent” simply quit after the 6 weeks, because they didn’t see enough progress to motivate them to continue on...
Coach
When will I see results?
Substitute the word results (which can vary in expectation) with the words motivating progress, which is very doable within 6 weeks if you are staying frequent with your workouts and eating healthier.
The amount of results will depend further on your strategy. Along with accountability, goal setting, and overall support– proper strategy is another reason many beginners choose to work with a Coach to start off.
How do I get motivated to start exercising?
There are plenty of different ways to get motivated to workouts, eat healthier, and exercise– buying new gym clothes or spending 2000.00 on a piece of home cardio equipment seems like a good idea, but often, this does not turn out as intended.
Instead, here are a few more effective ways to motivate yourself to workout:
- Stop thinking and start doing– take action and go without giving yourself time to think of excuses
- Write down a meaningful goal as well as a list of answers to these two questions: what could happen if I do? and what could happen if I don’t?
- Hire a coach for 6-12 weeks right from the start to help you stay accountable, proide support, starategy, and external motivation
- invest in a workout program to follow briefly consult with a professional to make sure it is an effective program for you)
Finally, Make sure to give your full effort and frequency for at least 3 months before quitting. If you give yourself enough time to succeed and see motivating progress– you will become motivated.
As the great Tony Robbins likes to say when it comes to motivation and seeing results,
Action is the cure-all.
Anthony Robbins
Should I workout from home or get a gym membership?
90% of the time, I recommend investing in a gym membership, for a few of the following reasons:
- Gets you out of the house– often better for both mental and physical health
- More focused workouts (less at home distractions)
- More equipment available when it comes to exercise variety and progression
Lastly, going to the gym is only scary at first. Talk to a supportive friend who knows what they’re doing to accompany you, or better yet– hire a professional. Even if it’s just for a few sessions to help build your comfort and knowledge to start off with more confidence.
What if I don’t have time to workout?
Hold yourself accountable to the fact that you probably do have time if you make it. I’ve trained working mothers of 3, CEO’s, and there have been presidents (aka Barack Obama) who have managed to workout 5 times per week while running their respective nation.
More than likely, you are disorganized in scheduling, planning at unrealistic times with other commitments, or saying yes too often to less important activities (Netflix series, social gatherings which throw off your sleep and energy, overall procrastination, and so on…)
Instead of saying “I didn’t have time”, try saying something like “I didn’t plan well this week or had other priorities this week”. This is a small shift, but language like this puts the control back in our hands to change.
How frequent should I change up my exercise program?
Every 3-6 weeks your program should vary in some way with slight differences in each workout you are doing per week so that you hit different areas of the muscles, while allowing others to rest and recover.
New or progressed exercises, exercise variations, increasing weights, sets, or rep adjustments– while not veering from basic fundamental movements.
If you are doing a different set of exercises each day, you’re likely not giving yourself the time to benefit from any of them– but your workouts may be fun. NBA players practice free throws. Football players practice throwing and catching the ball. Professional golfers still need to practice their putting game. Consistency in practicing the fundamentals is key to success in any endeavor.
Why am I not seeing results?
Unless I chat with you personally, I don’t have the answer for you, but if I had to guess–it’s likely one of the following:
- You are impatient and it’s only been 4 weeks
- You have a bad (or no) plan of action, because you’ve never worked with a professional 1 on 1 for your workouts and fitness goals
- Poor workout frequency and/or sub-par intensity levels (walking is good, although how much energy are you really exerting?)
- Unsustainable workout frequency– you go zero to hero and workout too intense too fast then get discouraged and give up
- Your nutrition is garbage– or simply not in line with your fitness goals and body type
- Your self talk is disempowering and self-deprecating instead of supportive and empowering towards success
Or maybe you are on the right track and in fact you are getting results that you are not giving credit towards. The number on the scale is not the be all end all (or as important as you may think).
Other type of results to aim and be happy for could be:
- Losing inches
- Getting stronger
- Moving better
- Breathing better
- Feeling less stiffness
- Increased energy and better sleep
- More confidence
- Better sex
Remember to measure success monthly, not daily…
What do you think about group fitness?
I think it is great as long as it’s not your only form of exercise and/or you’ve have had at least enough help 1 on 1 to make sure you are getting the most of the exercises you’re doing while in a group.
Sometimes a high intensity group workout is exactly what you need, mentally and physically. Other times, the ability to go on a treadmill and walk for 20 minutes followed by 15 minutes of stretching or to do basic strength training that is more catered to your body specifically is more beneficial. I’ve found that those who have started 1 on 1 basis or complimented group training with 1 on 1 tend to see the best results and be the most confident in their workouts.
Once you get fit, isn’t it easier to maintain?
No. Working out is like brushing your teeth– you can’t just stop and expect that the muscle you’ve built will sustain your progress.
However, if you’ve developed a positive mindset towards your workouts along with healthy, sustainable exercise habits and been coached properly to enjoy the process– yes it will be easier to maintain, your exercise routines as a part of your lifestyle— because you will have learned to enjoy the journey, not just the end goal
Coach’s closing thoughts:
Getting healthy will be the best decision you ever make. No one regrets becoming healthier, especially when they do it in positive way that is sustainable. The real most common question I get asked by those who I’ve coached and consulted with that have succeeded in developing a healthier lifestyle with regular workouts is this:
Why didn’t I start earlier…
If not now, at some point getting healthy will be super important to you. Maybe you get injured, father time takes away what you once took for granted, or you will watch someone close to you suffer from their health declining.
So, my final piece of advice to those pushing off becoming healthier is this,
Don’t wait. Commit and start towards becoming a healthier, happier version of yourself– it’ll be the best decision you ever make.
Coach
