Working out as a lifestyle
Answered by founder Nora Hameidani
What pillars do we need to have in place to stay motivated when it comes to working out?
Living an overall healthy lifestyle, which includes getting enough sleep and eating smart, is essential to sticking to a fitness regimen. If these fundamentals are not in place, then you are more likely to cancel due to fatigue, or you won’t be fueled appropriately for your workout and won’t perform to your potential. Having enough rest and eating well also means you can recover properly. Without taking care of all aspects of your health, it will be more challenging to maintain a regular exercise routine.
Having a goal in mind is also essential. Suppose you don’t have a strong ‘why’, then it’s easier to forget why you started. Your goal can be simple, yet something you can return to on days when you want to snooze the alarm.
Exercise should be prioritised as you would an important meeting. Treat it the same way – block it out in your calendar and work your day around it. It is easy to get into a pattern of exercise being a ‘nice to have’ and just slotting it in whenever you can. But put it at the top of your to-do list! You deserve it.
Finally, surround yourself with people who understand your fitness journey and support you. If your partner and/or friends can help you prioritise exercise, or be your fitness buddy, then that will go a long way in helping you stick to a routine.
If we push ourselves too hard and fail, why does that often lead us to want to quit our workout routine altogether?
It is easy to feel demotivated or insecure when we compare ourselves to others, which is why it's essential to have patience and set small, achievable personal goals. If you push too hard, too quickly, and try to do what “she” is doing, then you can crash and burn, feeling demotivated. But we don’t know anyone else’s story or goals, and, cliché as it sounds, the only person we should be competing with is ourselves. There is no easy way around it or shortcut - staying committed to a routine is hard work – mentally, physically and emotionally, so of course, sometimes you will feel fed up with it. But being realistic and accepting that it takes time to see and feel results will help you be patient with yourself and celebrate the small wins (that aren’t small at all!). We are all on our own journey - remember that when you get discouraged. And you’re always already winning vs the person who stayed in bed!
What are the main reasons people give to skip training, and how can we get around this?
When you are exhausted and not getting adequate sleep and eating well, exercise is often the first thing to get deprioritised. Many of us are time-poor with very full schedules – but actually, exercise breeds energy and helps build a positive mindset. So, prioritising movement can make all the other things on our to-do list feel much more manageable.
Plan your workouts ahead of time, just like a meeting, and don’t allow yourself to cancel unless it’s an emergency. There are numerous virtual options available for working out at home if your time is limited and you cannot attend classes. A 10-minute stretch is still better than nothing.
We all know someone who says they just plain hate exercising, or claims they are not an exercise person – we build up beliefs from childhood, and sometimes they are hard to shake. However, there are numerous styles and types of exercise, so I encourage people to try different things and find what they enjoy the most. It does not have to be at the gym or a class, it can be outside walking, hiking, swimming - anything other than sitting down!
Sometimes you are not in the mood – and these are the days you need exercise the most. Get your gym kit on and get out before you can ponder it for too long. Don’t think of the exercise – think of the buzz you will feel afterwards! No one ever regrets a workout. Those endorphins are waiting for you on the other side! Exercise improves mood and reduces stress levels, helping you relax and fostering positive ripples throughout your entire life. You owe it to yourself to feel the benefits. It really is a natural medicine.
What are the physical benefits of breaking fitness goals into small, achievable chunks?
You are more likely to continue and avoid discouragement if you set smaller goals. When you reach that first small goal, you will feel motivated to continue and set yourself the next challenge. Physically, it also means you are less prone to injury or stress, and therefore require a shorter recovery time. Give your mind and body a little time to adjust to a new routine and way of moving.
And the mental health benefits of paring back our exercise routine if we are finding it all a bit too much?
We should strive for balance. Nothing is worth it if it comes at too great a cost to other areas of our lives. If you are working out too much and other things are lacking, then you won’t be happy – and that’s the ultimate goal after all. The last thing you want is to begin resenting exercise, as you’ll eventually feel totally demotivated. Like everything, moderate in a way that works for you.
How do you advise we find the exercise that works best for us?
Keep trying many different things until you find something you genuinely enjoy. You might work best with a ‘gym buddy’ or enjoy exercise as solo time. Also, mix it up – if you’re finding your routine a little uninspiring, then try something new. With the extreme seasons here, it is good to get outside in the winter, then maybe use classes more during the summer. Exercise does not mean the gym, or even gym clothes. Think outside the box - movement could be a morning rave – an hour of dancing at 8 am! Or running a half-marathon. And finally, if you think you have an injury, don’t ignore it – work with a doctor or physio, don’t try to ‘out exercise’ it, or you could do long-term damage.