Over the last few weeks we have been chatting about what you need to do to get results in the gym.
- You have to follow a smart program, not random workouts.
- You need to work at the appropriate intensity and rest for the appropriate amount of time (not too much, not too little…be Goldilocks! )
- You need to recover and take time away from the gym so your muscles chill out and grow.
You can do EVERYTHING right in the gym, but if you aren’t taking care of your brain and your bod when you leave the weight room you won’t experience the BEST results you can. You will still see gains, and still feel like a bad ass… and if that is what you want, ROCK ON. But if you are looking for more, even a few little tweaks outside the gym can go a long way.
You are now working HARD in the gym, so if you want to ride that wave and see results (meaning strength gains and aesthetic changes) you need to dial in some “adulting”. First, your muscles won’t grow on pizza alone—so eat your protein and veggies like a responsible human. Then, make sleep your new favorite hobby, because no one’s getting jacked on 4 hours of Netflix-induced insomnia. And, of course, hydrate—because muscles can’t flex if you’re running on desert mode. Basically, treat your body like a plant: water it, feed it, and let it rest, or it’s not blooming!
Next — move…move…move. As the saying goes, if you don’t move it you lose it. Outside the gym, you’ve got to move more than just from the couch to the fridge! Ideally, you could aim for at least 7,000-10,000 steps a day, if that seems daunting just take a baseline of where you are, and try to get a little more each week. And yes, chasing your kids or sprinting to stop them from drawing on the walls counts! You don’t need to run a marathon, but walking the dog, taking the stairs, or even dancing around while folding laundry can keep you active. Remember, your muscles love a little action between gym sessions, so get moving or they’ll start acting like grumpy teenagers who refuse to clean their room!
You do NOT need to make all these changes all at once and the changes you make do NOT need to be extreme. Start by adding in a few desk break 5 min walks one week. Next week try to turn off the TV an hour early, read a little and tuck into bed a smidge earlier than usual. Then maybe you start to look at what you are eating for breakfast and add a little more protein to one meal a day. Small ripples make big waves over time!
I hope you got some good tips over the last few weeks! If you have any questions about your fitness and want to chat I love friendshipping! Shoot me an email and can jump on the phone or grab a coffee!
