Stephanie Williamson, of Inspired Training
Take it away, Steph!
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There are a lot of things I wish I knew when I started working out, but I do not regret one minute of my journey. I laughed, I cried, I learned. I would love to shorten your learning curve, by sharing with you some of my most important lessons.
1) The weight room is not scary, it actually unlocks your superpowers
My first experience with the gym was in college. The weight room was downstairs by all the street level windows, and the cardio machines were upstairs next to the group fitness rooms. When you walked into the gym there was a clear separation between the sexes. The boys would go straight to the weight room and us girls would make our way up the stairs. It’s not that we couldn’t use the weight room, but in a room overcrowded with college boys it could be an intimidating thing for a young, out of shape, college girl. I wish I could say that one day I just walked in and lost all fear of iron (and boys) but that was not the case. For the 3 years I was at school I hid in the cardio center on ellipticals, treadmills, and found the tiny rack of 3-10 lb dumb bells hidden in the corner. It was the best I could do.
It wasn’t until I started my true journey to health did I realize the weight room wasn’t just the place for boys. I started my schooling to become a personal trainer. In class we were taught proper form and the importance of strength training. With a list of recommendations from my mentor, I started absorbing books all about women and weight lifting. I was hooked! My new gym was a little less intimidating and I was armed with my new knowledge and weight training program.
I became more healthy and fit than I could ever have imagined. My body changed in ways that I did not know was possible. I started to love my body, my reflection and myself. The weight room transformed me, and I truly unlocked my superpowers.
You too can unlock your superpowers by getting in the weight room, finding a Kettlebell/Sandbag/Weight Training class, or joining a strength and conditioning center. You won’t get bulky, you won’t start looking like a man. (Unless that is your goal.) You will however start transforming your health and your body. You will look strong, feel strong, and find your superpowers.
2) Watching an entire movie while on the elliptical is not necessary
Remember those college days I was talking about? I would park myself on an elliptical and watch entire movies (usually with commercials) on the tiny screen in front of me. I’d watch the “calories burned” numbers go up and feel pretty good about myself. If I only knew there was a better way! I was under the impression the more time I spent on the machine the more in shape I would be. With that kind of steady state cardio I was definitely getting my heart rate up, moving more, and dripping a little sweat, but I was not getting closer to my goals. I thought it was the only way to lose the weight all the college beer had helped me put on.
When I learned about High Intensity Interval Training my entire perspective toward exercise changed! You mean I can work hard for 20 minutes and get more results and benefit than 2.5+ hours on an elliptical??? Why have I never heard of this before?!?!?! Sign me up! Tabata, Interval Training, Sprints, and Bodyweight workouts became my new normal. Pairing those with my heavy weight training is how things finally started to shift.
There is a time and place for long steady state cardio and that is for very specific goals. If you are training for a marathon, triathlon, bike race, or anything that requires long distances, steady state cardio training will need to be a part of your routine. Including interval training will help you as well, but your body needs to be able to adapt to long hours of maintained effort. Steady state cardio is not the devil, it is a useful tool for certain goals. If you need a workout that fits your busy life however, intervals may be the road for you!
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Williamson, stephwillinspire.com
3) Workouts should be seen as a reward not a punishment
Nowadays, I cringe when I hear anyone in the gym say “I have to burn off that pizza/ice cream/whatever I ate last night.” I fell into that trap when I first got started too, and it really did not help keep me motivated to stay in the gym. The guilt trap didn’t serve me then, and it will not serve you now. Mindset is huge part of success in the gym. If you go into the gym with a negative attitude believing you are a bad person for what you had to eat that day, you are not setting yourself up for success.
In order to get the best workout and results while also having a good time, you have got to go into the gym looking forward to your workout. You are rewarding yourself with strength, fitness, and a healthy happy life. Change your thinking and you will start to see the changes in the gym. Stay positive, stay consistent, and you WILL improve.
4) Too much of a good thing is NOT a good thing
Overtraining is a real thing. Programming your workouts so that you have adequate rest is not optional. You MUST let your body rest. Too much exercise can increase your risk of injury. Running sprints everyday will start to weaken your body. Lifting with the same muscles over and over without rest will not help you gain strength, but it will tax your body and make it very difficult to reach your goals. I have suffered from overtraining, and it can mess with your hormones, your gut, and your overall wellbeing. Just learn from my mistake and make sure you are taking your rest days!
Side note on sleep: You should be getting approximately 8 hours of sleep a night. If you are not getting enough sleep your body may not be fully recovered and ready to tackle your next tough workout. If you carry your sleepy booty to the gym you are again putting yourself at risk for injury. One bad rep and you could be out for a few weeks. Get your rest, and try not to to pump yourself full of caffeine before a workout. You need to be able to feel the fatigue in your muscles to know when to stop. Caffeine masks this ability. Making up for a bad night sleep with coffee or a pre-workout is a recipe for disaster.
I also learned this lesson about healthy eating. I was obsessed with eating healthy when I was training hard. I would pack all my meals and turn down invitations to eat out with friends. I went from one extreme to another. Being obsessed with your food is another form of disordered eating. If your thoughts of counting calories, measuring macros, and restricting yourself from “bad” foods takes up all your time and energy you may be going too far. There isn’t a problem with being dedicated, but there is a problem when it consumes and disrupts your life. Go out, make healthy choices, but allow yourself to enjoy occasional rich foods, sweet foods, and a glass (or two) of wine! This will help you keep a balanced happy life. Seeing any food as “bad” or “good” ties your self worth the the food you eat. You are what you eat is a LIE! You are a human being doing your best to live a healthy happy life.
5) You can do whatever you set your mind to
I used to say phrase “I could never do that” or “They have way more willpower than I do.” These negative thoughts kept me from setting big goals. It kept me running the same 5ks, lifting the same amount of weight, and never really going for it in the gym. This way of thinking was an act of fear. I was afraid to fail, so I would never try. Making excuses for yourself is only making you step backwards. To move forward all you have to do is take one step at a time. Connect with the right people who can help you succeed and take a leap of faith.
Setting big goals can help you push your limits, get you out of your comfort zone, and help you see your full potential. It’s all about mindset. Take the word can’t out of your vocabulary. Turn “I can’t” to I will try and watch yourself achieve your dreams!
6) You’re never “done” – fitness is a journey not a destination
You don’t just get fit and quit. Living a healthy life is a lifelong endeavor. Goals change, life happens, and you keep working toward your best self. Fitness is not just something that you achieve and then move on. It’s something you constantly work on to gain or maintain. Please don’t set you “I want to lose __ lbs” goal and think you’ll be finished. I bet you’ll get hooked like the rest of us, and it will change your life. Keep in mind that you have a whole lifetime to work on your health and fitness, that means you do not have to achieve your goal right now. Just remember that this is your personal journey, enjoy it!
About the Author:
Stephanie is a passionate fitness professional that loves to help people along their journey. She is the creator of Inspired Training and promotes the {Eat Well. Train Smart. Love Always.} Lifestyle. You can check her out and find out more on Facebook.com/stephwillinspire or www.stephwillinspire.com