Keep your eyes on the fitness prize with these tips from celebrity trainer Ben Lucas
It’s one thing to make fitness goals, but keeping them is a whole other ball game. Sure, you had the best intentions when you pledge to yourself to go to the gym 6 days a week as the new year clocks over, or when you swear to yourself that you’ll stop the late night snacking and get that six pack you’ve been lusting after for years…but somehow it all fell to the wayside and you found yourself back to where you started before long.
Let’s face it: temporary changes do little good for our health in the long run. To make real changes, smash goals and get to where you want to be, you need to be persistent and stay on track.
It’s certainly easier said than done, so FIT picked the brains of celebrity trainer and co-founder of Flow Athletic, Ben Lucas, on his top tips to keep to your fitness goals:
1. Set a goal you feel excited about
If you are setting a goal around something that you don’t even enjoy, the odds of you sticking to it will be slim. When setting yourself a goal, choose something that you genuinely want to accomplish, so that you will be willing to put in the hard work to get there.
2. Know why you are doing it
Identify the reasons why you are setting your goal. If the benefits of achieving your goal are important enough to you, you will be more likely to reach it. Write it down somewhere as a reminder, so that when you feel like throwing in the towel, you can reflect on why you started.
3. Don’t go in with an “all-or-nothing” approach
In my opinion, this is arguably the biggest reason why healthy lifestyle changes are not followed through. The danger of an “all-or-nothing” approach is that one minor slip up can derail the journey entirely. Just because you make a minor mistake, it doesn’t mean giving up. Allow yourself to make mistakes and get straight back on track. Remember, when it comes it health, it’s definitely not black and white – you always need room for flexibility.
4. Try new things to find your fit
There are such a wide variety of fitness programs and activities available that it’s possible to just keep trying new things until you find something you like. My advice would be to give everything a couple of tries, so you can make a clear decision on whether it’s the right fit for you. If you enjoy your workouts, you’ll be much more likely to stick to your routine.
5. Incorporate fitness habits into your daily life
You won’t even realise you’re working out if you make your downtime more active. For example, if you are someone who watches a lot of Netflix, you could always get a resistance band and some dumbbells and you can do a few exercises while you are relaxing. Doing planks, squats, or bicep curls when you’re watching TV or listening to music at home is a great way make your relaxation time productive.
6. Track it with an app
There are a variety of apps on offer that track your daily steps, activity and/or calorie intake. These are great for keeping yourself in check, and seeing where you are in relation to your goals, which is great motivation to keep on going.
7. Be aware of your fuel
They say that the key to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise and I agree with this statement to an extent. A healthy diet boosts the metabolism, increases energy levels, allowing you to exercise harder, and improves an individual’s overall wellbeing. Bear in mind that everyone has different dietary requirements and goals, so if you are unsure about what works for you, consult a professional to help you.
Ben Lucas
Ben Lucas has been in the fitness industry for 18 years. Prior to opening Flow Athletic he owned 3 successful personal training businesses and was an NRL player for the Cronulla Sharks. He is a regular voice on health and fitness in the media. Ben has several high profile clients who are fans of his dynamic and results-driven training methods.
www.flowathletic.com.au
@flowathletic@ben_lucas1