I bumped into a trainer friend of mine the other day on Kensington High Street. We got chatting about training and keeping motivated when your life is fitness. The resultant conclusion was that we need to achieve, rest and recover.
As my Twitter name suggests (@tomthesloth) I am a bit lazy. I do struggle to get motivated to train. I'd much rather relax, read or eat than put the mileage into my training. This never boads well for an Ultra marathon! However when I do train, I'm able to appreciate the time when I don't that bit more, to know that even though I'm being lazy it is actually helping repair and recover my body for the next challenge. When I get to an event I am relaxed, knowing that I have not overtrained (no chance of that!) and am ready for whatever is thrown my way. I achieve because I take a little and often approach to my training.
Most people begin a fitness routine with aspirations of being a supermodel. They believe that the 3 times a week that they will visit the gym (when work, family and social life allows) will transform them, from average Joe or Phyllis into a fit Hugh Jackman or Heidi Klum. For some this pipe dream may become reality. But it would take a merciful diet and 3 savage training sessions to have this transformational effect. The intensity of this program and recovery needed would probably demotivate most mortals and send them back to the unhealthy lives they were trying to escape in the first place.
So what am I getting at here?
Well a more realistic approach would be a starting place. Set yourself a goal then halve it and achieve that. Want to run a marathon? Aim for a half marathon or better still, a 10k. Rather than demotivating yourself because you can't get to the gym, just do 15 minutes at home before work, then it's done and you can rest, recover.
Exercise is by no means rocket science, there's plenty of information out there for us to absorb. As long as we acquire good information the obstacle is ourselves, our barriers to success our eagerness to fail.
So don't fail, don't build barriers, just begin a habit today of 5 minutes of exercise. Pat yourself on the back when you achieve it everyday for 2 weeks, then think about your next goal.
Little and often can be the key to success, don't run before you can walk, because often you'll stumble and fall flat on your face.
T :)
Here are some guidelines:
Rather than attempting an hour session or even half an hour, just take little steps - Do 5 minutes exercise every morning. (it could be a brisk walk, climbing the stairs or barefoot run)
Give yourself something attainable and achieve. Don't run before you can walk. Use your stairs and climb them up and down for 5 mins, pick up a kid and swing them round (borrow one if you don't have your own, just ask first) or get to the park and do 20 jumping jacks at each bench you find.
Find ways to walk, climb stairs, cycle, play with your kids whenever possible. You'll burn more energy everyday = a fitter, slimmer you.
Try. Try new activities to enjoy exercise. Salsa, dancing on a saturday night (minus the booze), footie with mates, frisbee with the dog (run after the dog), skipping.
Don't be afraid to rest, but make sure in your heart, mind and soul that you've earnt it, bottom line don't be a lazy sausage!
Your mission before my next blog is to do 5 minutes activity a day, everyday. Enjoy it and record it. Use iexerci.se to help track your progress.
This activity must be something that raises your heart rate, gets you out of breath (not dying) and makes you sweat a little. It must be something you don't normally do.
Feel free to let me know how you get on,
Tom :)
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