There is never a perfect time to get fit, except right now.
Are you waiting for that perfect moment to start that healthy lifestyle? Maybe next Monday you’ll start to workout, January 1st, or even the day after your 30th Birthday? Are any of these days better than others or is this just a way of putting off starting your fitness journey? Either way, you must be thinking this timing is better to start toward your fitness goal(s). It is great to hear you have decided to start physical activity, improve weight loss, or any other healthy habit on your list. But if you haven’t started, do you still hear yourself saying; I’m too busy, when I get better sleep, I’m too tired, I’ll start next week? Of course, none of this is uncommon. You’ve been saying this for years now and probably realized the toughest part of any exercise routine is simply starting.
You may think this is harsh but how well has tiptoeing around this gone? How long have you been putting aerobic exercise or strength training (or both) on the back burner? Maybe some pressure or tough love from Renegade is exactly what you need to get inspired and finally start building muscle and reducing body fat.
How To Start
It is much easier to create excuses than it is to take action; otherwise, you would have already started and likely not be reading this article. You probably find that you never begin because the perfect time doesn’t exist. The fact is, you will always be busy, encounter stressors that make it easy to push things off or find some other excuse to get in the way. The largest roadblock is likely yourself. So stop getting in your own way, stop believing the bullshit you keep telling yourself and start today!
I get it, it’s not simple, and using a future date could be your way of thinking that’s when it will be easier. Unfortunately, as I discussed above, it will likely never “start easy” but it will get easier over time. We are all creatures of habits, good or bad, and getting yourself to make being healthy a habit, is likely the key to your success. So how do you do it?
Make The Appropriate Number Of Changes
Well, you’re reading this article, and mentally making the decision to start is your first step. But now it’s time for action. I wrote something else specifically addressing not trying to change too much at once. This is often one of the quickest ways to fail and you can read this for more – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6378489/. If making change has to involve; eating all healthy foods, doing a morning workout 7 days a week, no snacks, no sugar, and waking up at 5:00 am (when you are accustomed to hitting snooze multiple times in the morning) then you are likely to fail early. Why, it’s just too much to change at once. Yes, some individuals can change everything cold turkey. This may not be you or would have already started by now.
Now imagine making one or two changes at the start. Then, once they become a habit, move onto the next one. So what is the first tip, set one or two changes that are either the most important or easiest to begin. You will be able to celebrate the success, not overwhelm yourself with having to do everything at once (on top of all your current responsibilities) and you’ll know exactly when it’s time to move onto the next step.
Just like changing too much can be overwhelming, so is unrealistic expectations.
Fitness Routine Commitments
Right along with trying to change too much, committing to something you can’t sustain is also dangerous. You know you’ve done this. Committing to working out 7 days a week for 1.5 hours is a lot, for anyone. Especially someone just starting. Take a realistic look at your schedule and determine what kind of commitment you can realistically make. Is it 3 days, 4 days, 5 days? You will know this better than anyone and yes, any one of those can be enough for getting healthy and improving body composition. Even if you desire more muscle, stronger lifts, or being in the best shape of your life, these can all be accomplished. Determine a schedule you can commit to long-term and stick with it.
I have worked out for over 30 years and I know I can’t commit to 7 days. There is just shit that gets in the way. My body and mental health also need and deserve a break too. I do however work out 6 days a week but it’s only for about 45 minutes but this is what works best for me. What would your ideal program look like? If you don’t know or are trying to figure out what your strength training program should be, you can check out all the programs I built, for free. No matter what genre you like or what time frame works for your schedule, you’ll find something here.
Nutrition Commitments
Just like your exercise program, you can’t follow a sound nutrition plan 100% of the time. Unless a sound nutrition plan also includes the opportunity to allow for some flexibility and I am here to say it should. If you are eating a sound plan 90% of the time, you should not feel guilty or have any issue going out to get ice cream or having some chips once in a while. Unless you are competing in a bodybuilding show or competition, you can reach your body weight and muscle growth goals so long as you follow your plan 90% of the time. But, if you find yourself snacking every day, not eating enough fruits, vegetables, proteins, and yes healthy fats, there may be more to look at.
What Nutrition Program To Follow
I will also tell you there is no magic nutrition program. Intermittent fasting, low carb, fat-free, carnivore, balanced, all can work and not work for you. Do I feel that there is likely a nutrition program that you may “like” better than another, absolutely. The great news is you can experiment with works best for you – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3471136/.
The key, and why they can all be successful, is when people decide to follow a program, it causes them to eat fewer calories. Listen, is Keto right for everyone? No. But it might be good for you. I especially can’t stand diet rankings as every program has worked and not worked for people. Try to imagine what foods you like, and no you can’t say cake as your base food group, and then see what nutrition program you can build around that. If you really like fruits, and yes, they are good for you, then don’t do Keto or Low Carb. There are so many options out there, you will find one that works great for you.
One last nutrition tip I want to share here and that is to be wary of the eat this not that rules. There is really no food that needs to ever be eliminated. Should some be limited, sure but eliminated? I eat cookies, ice cream, caramel popcorn, and even have a beer every so often. Unless you have an issue with specific foods, eliminating foods is usually a good way to ensure you will indulge in them at some point. Be mindful, eat 1 or 2 cookies, and call it a day (and don’t do it every day). Remember, following a plan 90% of the time will work. You can and should eat foods you enjoy.
That’s right, start today and the cliche that it’s also never too late to start is true. The earlier you start making healthy changes, the quicker you will reach your goals. No one is stopping you but you.