How many times have you started a health and fitness regime and decided: “this was it, this time you were sticking to this plan for good!”

The Thought: “ Your Getting into Shape Resolution”

You’ve been reading your favorite magazine, watching your regular tv show, seeing your friends out and about and noticing how “in shape” everyone seems to be. You wanted to look like that – and you would. Everyone is absolutely going to die with jealousy at your new found results. 🙂 Just you wait! You’re going to knock it out of the park!

Week 1 and 2

You blitzed it! You trained everyday, cardio in the morning and resistance training in the late afternoon or evening, (in fact, you’ve probably over-trained if anything) and are no longer eating anything remotely related to junk food. You feel great, you’ve lost pounds and your clothes – you’re sure – are already feeling a little looser. Wow, this is terrific! Woohoo!

Week 3

You slept in twice and didn’t get time to do your morning walk.
On one of those mornings you missed breakfast. But never mind, next week is a new week you’ll get back on track.

Week 4

Three days that week you had to work back late or were busy with family committments. You skipped training completely on those days. And on those nights you ordered in and got greasy, fatty, carb loaded takeaway. Things aren’t going to plan, you’re upset with yourself because you forgot to plan ahead – and you know you need to get back on track ASAP.

Week 5

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!
You’ve been getting cravings all week. Ever since you had those two serves of chocolate mud cake on the Monday for somebody’s birthday. You’ve been snacking on lollies because you’ve been getting afternoon energy “lows”

You’re grumpy, feeling deprived, feeling ugly, fed up, ripping shreds off everybody that crosses your path. You can’t stand it any longer. That’s it… it’s Thursday night and you decide for the next four evenings you’re going to train for 2 hours to try and make up for the exercise you’ve missed earlier this week (even though deep down you know that’s really not going to work).

Week 6

Things just don’t seem to be going your way. You think… “To hell with it” and gorge yourself on what ever you can get your hands on that’s  full of sugar and or bad fat – with an evil in your eyes as you devour everything in front of you. People walk past and stare at you because you are foaming at the mouth as you are grabbing for your food – and theirs! 🙂 Well, nearly! 🙂 You get my drift….
You get in 1 walk this week –  and your heart wasn’t in it.

Weeks 7 – 10

After this you feel terrible, guilty and hate yourself because you feel you’ve failed because you can’t stick to your program. “Why me? It’s not fair!” You feel like you will never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, be able to get into shape. You give up.

Week 12+

Uh-oh! The latest magazine is out! 🙂 hhhhmmmmmm – maybe I could look like her or him. Wow – an article titled (mock example only) “lose 10lbs in ten days”. Maybe if I try this program instead it’ll work this time around.

THE CYCLE STARTS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

So why do you do this to yourself?

Because you’ve conditioned yourself too… probably without even realising you are doing it.

First up, notice how when you first start out, you go like a bull at gate. Of course, because you’re excited! You train crazy hours, you go cold turkey with your food / nutrition. You pretty much wear yourself out – fast! Where if you had’ve been a little more realistic about starting your plan, it would’ve made it a heck of a lot easier to stick with.

Obviously there are going to be occasions when you just aren’t able to train – but this doesn’t have to ruin your whole health and fitness regime forever! Quit putting yourself down. Just get back on track the next day. These things happen so don’t let it get you side-tracked.

Besides where is behaving like this going to get you? Other than scaring people from your crazy mood swings and sugar rushes, 🙂 there are really no advantages.

You’ve heard of the saying “keep it simple”… well that’s exactly what you need to do here.

Don’t go creating some over-the-top program goals that you know, when you really think about it, that you’re not going to be able to follow anyway. You’re much better off, for example, moderately changing your nutrition / eating plan and training a few times per week. Then go from there.

Going from not exercising and an unhealthy eating plan to trying to train like an elite athlete in one week is nuts! Don’t do it to yourself. Put things into perspective instead. Work out your “Obstacles”, “Reasons or Causes” and “Solutions”. You’ll be more organized and prepared and able to work into your program gradually. And things will fall into place much easier for you. And you can advance from there, once you’ve got into the swing of things

The longer you mess about wasting time, giving up, getting caught up in this “putting too much pressure on yourself / crazy ass program” cycle… the more years you’ll waste. That’s precious time that you could’ve been feeling and looking great with fantastic results. Rather than constantly experiencing that feeling of regret!

Remember – KEEP IT SIMPLE! 🙂

Take care…  you’ve got me at your side.
Mandy 🙂
VirtualFitnessTrainer.com