It’s spring, I need to get fit for summer!
It’s a new year, I promised I would get healthier this year.
If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught me anything, it is that my health is valuable – I want to do something about it.
Any of those sound familiar? It does to us too, we hear them and we really hope that whatever motivation pops into your head to be healthier and get active, know that it’s all good. Go with it!
As for taking that from the motions of investigating options to get active – getting the clothes and shoes etc. to putting it into actually getting out there…here are a couple of tips for getting started today.
Start small, don’t aim for marathon!
The best advice I have ever seen to get great habits going comes in the form of a book – Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s a must read; it sets out really small, simple steps to get a new habit going.
You may want to try and Outdoor Active class, but you are just so nervous and don’t know if you can keep up. My hot tip – get your sports shoes on and get to the park to take a walk while we are training. Choose the day/time when the class you would come to is on. Try doing this a few times – you are winning already by getting out the door and getting in a great walk at the park. Second win – you see our groups in action, and I bet you will see someone that is just like you! The habit you are getting into – getting your shoes on and out the door to be active. What you do in that active time may change, but the habit of getting out there has begun!
You should find an activity or training style that you enjoy.
If you are enjoying your training sessions, you are far more likely to keep going. Here are some great ways to enjoy being active:
- Train with a friend/group of friends or find a group that would love to have you join them. Training buddies keep you going by encouraging you when it’s tough, and you can do the same for them. You will find that you can train harder and for longer with a buddy or in a group.
- Try something new! Is there an activity or sport you’ve always wanted to try? Do it, it might become your new fitness love!
- Reward yourself for keeping up with your activity/training, and no I don’t mean with a trip to a certain fine chocolate outlet! It may be new clothes, a new CD or new training shoes. Why not create yourself a training reward chart with a star for every session you do, 12 stars in the month = small reward or build up to a bigger reward like a holiday.
- Catch up socially with your training group. Meet up for coffee together or another activity you all might enjoy. A crew that plays together stays together!
Whatever you do, get back into your new activity or training slowly!
Don’t think that you can jump straight back into the same weights, speed, intensity and frequency of training that you were doing last time you had been training. You need to give your body time to adjust to training again; otherwise it’s a trip to the physio for you! Your brain might be ready and willing to hit it hard, but you have to give your body time to get back into it.