Regular Exercise is hard because it takes time – a lot of time. In our culture of instant gratification, we are not accustomed to waiting for results.
Results require dedication and permanent lifestyle changes; it demands patience….and that’s hard, but not impossible for most people, including myself!
Technology has changed our brains and hard-wired us to expect our desires to be filled instantaneously. Carrie Fisher [Princess Leia Star Wars] said “Instant gratification takes too long” and it’s becoming a mantra for many people looking for fitness.
Do not despair – your new body may be months or even years away, but there will be definite signs to prove to yourself that you’re on the right track.
Take your time to notice small changes to your body and then celebrate them, because one day you are going to make it, but only if you keep exercising consistently.
The following are small signs that I have noticed on my journey towards fitness, and you too will become aware of them as you progress further into the Shape-UP program.
Others Start To Notice Your Physical Changes
It is easy to miss the subtle muscle growth or weight loss when you’re looking at your reflection in the mirror every day.
The fact is, you are not going to look that different from day to day, or even week to week, however, rest assured that incremental change is happening – because it must! If you are exercising regularly, your body has to adapt to meet the physical demands of the workout.
Then in a few months, when you run into an acquaintance you haven’t seen for a while, they’ll notice the difference.
Their comments may even take you by surprise, because your new fitness has given you the self confidence that external affirmations are not important to you any longer.
You Look Forward To Your Workout
The first few workouts are painful; the morning after soreness may make it hard to even get out of bed. You run out of breath too quickly during cardio and lifting weight makes your arms shake.
As a beginner, you may feel awkward and out of place in class, and if you were once fit, then perhaps you now feel demoralized that you can’t exercise like you used to.
Please persevere with exercise consistently for a few months; things will start to get better. The soreness the next morning will disappear, and you will become confident in class.
Coming to class may still not be easy, but it will become just another part of your usual routine.
At this “acceptance” stage something crazy happens, your old self wouldn’t be able to believe it – you start looking forward to exercising!
You will crave the feel-good endorphins exercise releases and want to replicate that positive feeling that being in shape gives you.
Giving yourself time to undergoing this fundamental lifestyle transformation is necessary for long-term fitness health.
You forget To Be Tempted
Once you become fitter, you start to make better food choices, and when you string together enough dietary victories, the whole process gets a lot easier.
Sure, you may still have fond memories of the late night chocolate ice cream binges, but making the right choice is less traumatic, and your favourite snack foods are not nearly as tempting at the supermarket.
Then, without notice, they disappear from your mind almost completely. A whole grocery trip comes and goes without you needing to “quickly stroll” down the snack aisle. A bad day at work doesn’t conjure the need to comfort yourself with a drink or a cheesy treat.
Regular exercise has a compound effect
Making fitness part of your life is simple but not easy. Take courage; by exercising enough times your body must adapt, and when it does, exercise becomes a natural part of your day.
Albert Einstein famously stated:
Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it… he who doesn’t… pays it.
I believe exercise is to health, as compound interest is to wealth. Exercising builds muscle, stamina, and endurance, and then it is used to build more muscle, stamina, and endurance.
The compounding effect of regular vigorous exercise results in a body that can enjoy a healthy and wealthy life.
If you can not come to our classes at Epping or Artarmon then Shape-UP@home by joining our online community.
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Live well with fitness.
Anna
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