Guest post by Nathan Brennan, Personal Trainer
As a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, I have seen the rewards of what I do in my career in the fitness industry. Both in a one-on-one and group settings, it is always rewarding to see positive changes in someone's life as they make a commitment to better their quality of life through fitness and nutrition.
Although nutrition can bring a great beneficial impact and amazing results, you cannot see that lean fit body until you start moving and exercising at a certain level of intensity. Even for people who do not like to exercise, small changes make a difference in how they feel emotionally and physically.
Amazing results do not occur overnight. It takes persistence and knowing your “why” in following the path to becoming fit and strong.
Just like most things in life, you cannot see the full fruit of your efforts if you are not committed to a well-designed exercise program combined with a few balancing factors. Here are 3 factors to add to your nutrition and exercise plan, towards achieving amazing results.
Sleep
If there is one tip to take away from this article, it is to stick with a consistent sleep schedule. First, be persistent in getting 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep each night to recover muscle tissue. Our body needs time to repair from intense workouts. Make sure to go to bed at around the same time each night. This is crucial since our bodies are creatures of habit. Additionally, it is not recommended to take a nap after 3 PM since it will be harder to fall asleep at night, and this could change our entire sleep cycle. Make sure to not overload your evening with plans since it is key to wind down at night and not do any high-stress activities before bedtime, so as not to raise your cortisol levels.
Exercise, Goals and Tracking Your Weight
Set realistic goals for yourself each week. If you accomplish these initial goals, add in another goal the following week. For instance in a week's span strength train 3 times. The following week, strength train 3 times and go to sleep an hour earlier. Keep adding new goals each week as you accomplish the previous goals.
Do not weigh yourself every day! Any changes you see in weight from day to day will most likely be water weight. It will not say much about lean muscle. During an intense period of changes, some people feel motivated when they weigh themselves often, but I’d recommend waiting a minimum of 3 days in between tracking your weight.
Support and Accountability
Get a support system! Partnering up with a friend can help you both stay motivated and even make you positively competitive so it becomes fun to exercise. If you are ready to transform your life in a big way, don't hesitate to invest in a goal planner or a wellness planner to set goals and track your progress.
Be advised to consult a physician or personal trainer before trying or starting a new workout plan, and most especially if you have a certain medical condition which may require an adjusted plan.
For coaching and workout plans visit Brennan Fitness Academy