If I had a penny for every time someone asked me if there’s a quick way to get fit, to lose weight, or to find that beach or bodybuilder’s body, I wouldn’t be spending my time writing about it, I’d be a rich man! With the new year, and even more so with a new decade, come the desire and intention to get fit again: you’ve either made it your New Year’s resolution or have just completed Veganuary or Dry January. You feel great and are proud of yourself for having done it. And so you should be! But chances are you’re about to go back to your old habits if you haven’t already – am I right?
Let’s be honest. There is such a thing as seeing quick results. That’s not the difficult part. The tricky bit is keeping to the new habits and routines you set up to get those results. And that’s where most people fail. If you’re looking for a quick one-off fix or a magic pill or expecting the latest exercise trend to change your life forever, then you’re talking to the wrong man. I believe in finding what works for you so that you can stick to it and keep benefitting from it day after day, month after month. Quick fixes are not long-term solutions and you risk harming your body in the long run if you keep putting yourself through various fads.
Find the habits that work for you
Getting fit starts with finding the right state of mind. If your only goal is to get into a new outfit for an event or run a 5k race, then that is probably all you will ever achieve. Try building on that goal and turn it into something different, something that will last a little longer – say, a 5k race to start with, followed by a 10k race in a year’s time, and maybe even the London Marathon one day. Or looking fabulous on your wedding day, and your honeymoon, and your one, two, five-year anniversaries and beyond.
Depending on what your goal is, you need the right information and tools that will help you achieve it. If you need to change your diet to lose weight, do some research into healthy eating habits and start to add new things into your day-to-day life. Start small and build from there. Talk to someone who can help you figure out what works best with your body. Personalise your approach and you are much more likely to stick to your new food regime. The same goes for exercise. Whether you are looking to build or tone muscle or improve your cardiovascular fitness, delve into the techniques and exercises that will help you do that safely. Find the right trainer who can identify what you need to work on and how to do it so that you can begin to see lasting results.
Revel in the benefits
Once you get that new system and those better habits in place, usually a combination of a better diet and targeted exercise, you will soon start to reap the benefits. Within a couple of weeks, you will feel different: your focus will be sharper, you’ll sleep better, you will feel stronger. This is the time to be proud of your achievements. Revel in your success, enjoy how your hard work has begun to pay off.
But it is also a time of danger. Seeing results and feeling the benefits lulls us into complacency. Now is the time to maintain focus on that goal. You have kick-started your metabolism, and your body is beginning to change. Stop now and you will go right back to where you started.
Keep your eye on the prize
Remember those medium and long-term goals we talked about? Those wedding anniversaries and 10k races? This is the time to keep those in mind. If you’ve done your homework and found the techniques that work for you, you’re more likely to stick to them and reach that longer-term goal.
Back to those quick fixes
They say that it takes motivation to get started but that habit is what will keep you going. Never a truer word was said. Small, incremental changes are more likely to last longer than sweeping, all-encompassing ones; at some point your mind will rebel and you will fall back on old habits if you make too many radical changes in one go.
So, to answer your question, there is no such thing as a quick fix. Certainly not one that will stay the course and keep you fit and healthy for years to come.
Need some help to find what works for you? That’s what SimplyFITT is here for! Get in touch for an initial consultation where we explore what you want to achieve and find the right tools to help you get there and stay there. Take the first step by calling 07881 100746 or emailing and we’ll get you going