HOW TO BECOME A “WORKOUT PERSON” FOR LIFE

Fitness isn't for everyone, and building habits surrounding fitness is definitely easier said than done. Crytal talks about where she started and how she was able to become a "Fitness Person", and has outlined a few points to help others do the same!

I haven’t always been a “fitness person”. I had dabbled in working out, participated in some sports along the way but I wouldn’t have considered myself fit and nothing particularly stuck. In order to become someone who works out regularly, I had to experiment and find something I truly enjoyed and wanted to do. Before I found my thing, I was pretty low. My self-esteem suffered, I was pretty unhappy and I constantly felt tired. It was group fitness that really made me want to be a “workout person”. I have found other things I love along the way now too but I’m consistently drawn to that group workout environment. As a group fitness instructor, many people think that I’m always motivated to work out and I can assure you, that’s really not true. I definitely have days when getting out of bed is tough or going back to the gym after a long day at my day job is the last thing I want to do but I also know how good I feel when I work out and I really enjoy what I do. While it took me a while to find the workouts that I was passionate about, my top tips may help you get there a little quicker.

For starters, especially if you are just beginning, you may have the belief that you need to spend hours in the gym, many times a week. I know that sometimes I have gone into the gym for a weights session, realised I only had 30 mins so I just half-assed it and felt disappointed when the results didn’t eventuate. Guess what? You can get a pretty solid workout in 30 minutes if you have a plan and are focused. I go to personal trainers that I know are focused and organised so I don’t have to think and we get through a killer workout in 30-45 minutes. Maybe you could try 30 mins of HIIT? I can tell you now that if you do it right, you won’t want to do any more than that. Remember, fitness is something you want to fit into your life. If you feel like you don’t have the time for a workout, you’re probably going to skip it all together and this will lead to inconsistency and lack of progress. There are loads of 30-minute classes that can definitely fit into your busy schedule.

Another thing to think about is how you get your exercise in. You don’t have to go to the gym all of the time. You could take the dogs and kids for a walk. My sister takes her kids to the park so they can ride their bikes and she walks up and down the footpath – sure, it’s not the most exciting way to exercise but she gets it done and the kids get some energy out. What a win win situation! A few weeks ago, I tried bouldering which I had never done before and I loved it. My husband plays soccer on a Monday night for fitness and fun. A friend of mine just signed up to a beginner aerial yoga course. You could plan to go for a mountain climb with some friends – the Sunshine Coast has many awesome mountains with spectacular views and they vary in their intensity too. To ensure you develop a lifelong fitness habit, it might be about getting outside of your comfort zone and thinking of fitness in different ways. Even simple things like making sure I get at least 10,000 steps in a day challenges me to get up from my desk and walk around on my breaks or take the long way somewhere – it all adds up! Build some fun activities into your daily life and you’re well on your way to that fit lifestyle.

Get some goals! And make sure they are things that are exciting to you. If you set a goal, it’s much more likely to keep you motivated because it is something that you want to achieve. If you see results from your consistency, you are even more likely to want to continue with your progress. Goals are something to motivate you when you really just can’t be bothered. If you’re working towards something you care about, you will want to do the work. It can be something as simple as wanting to perform a handstand – you put in the work, you reap the rewards. Make sure your goal is a goal for you. Don’t choose a goal just because everyone else is doing it.

Progress happens with consistency – not what you do once in a while. I know it’s not sexy but there is no magic fix, despite what numerous Instagram ads might tell you. With the adoption of a couple of these tips, you may just find yourself really enjoying working out.