Let’s get serious, have you even done a workout if you can still move afterwards? Or, was it really a proper workout if you didn’t vomit?
Hmmm, we cringe a little at these hard-core, all-or-nothing sorts of statements around fitness. Mainly because it ends up turning more people away from starting a healthy relationship with fitness. Plus, it sets up those who already enjoy fitness for failure.
Yes, getting into great shape, improving your fitness, performing optimally and transforming your body means working out on a consistent basis and continually pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. But any dedicated athlete knows that rest, recovery and periodization (modifying and building intensity and duration) of workouts is part of that process.
Unfortunately, the glorification of ‘no pain, no gain’ or ‘blood, sweat and tears’ type attitude associated with bootcamp style workouts can do more damage than good for those who most need to live a more active life. We explore the fitness trend that needs to stop…which of these stories are you currently telling yourself?
Chronic fatigue is the new cool
It feels like life has become a race to who can be the most exhausted. From a young age we’ve been encouraged to work longer and harder; to sacrifice self-care for career advancement; to juggle family, work, health, and life without a second of downtime. This has contributed to increase in both physical disease and poor mental health. Asians are now the largest community of type 2 diabetics and have one of the highest suicide rates across the world. This can be partly attributed to ‘lack of time’ for health and wellness.
Exercising when exhausted is difficult, but it’s also a great way to boost energy, reset your mindset and make your health a priority. Exercise should win over the idea that fatigue is a cool status symbol. This carries over to the fitness industry too. Constant fatigue and over-exercising is a real issue. It’s not only bad for your health, it’s a fitness trend that portrays fitness to rest of the world in a poor light.
The solution
We all need an attitude adjustment! Self-care needs to be prioritized and the only way this can happen is one person at a time. Take time today for some exercise. Take a brisk walk and be mindful of your surrounds and the ability of your body to move. Remember, it doesn’t have to be brutal to be beneficial!
Is fitness a chore or a choice?
We see all the photos of people loving exercise. We hear people talk about the ‘runners high’ or the post exercise endorphin rush. But the reality for you is that you don’t enjoy exercise that much, and that ‘runners high’ seems a bit woowoo to you!
Don’t worry, you are not alone. Research suggests that part of the reason we don’t enjoy exercise is because of the way we think about it. Many women exercise primarily to lose weight, which leads to a vicious cycle of using exercise as a punishment. So rather than looking to enjoy exercise, many of us view it as a price to pay for other actions, such as overeating!
If that is the case, do you really think you’ll keep exercise up over the long term. Do you really think you’ll make lasting changes to your lifestyle? At Active8me, we’re passionate about you embracing healthy, active living – not because you have to, but because you want to!
The solution
Make exercise part of your routine and seek support from those who like exercise! Adding your favourite playlist to your exercise routine can really spice up your enjoyment of exercise too. Feel lucky that you CAN exercise!
Get comfortable with the uncomfortable
So, we’ve mentioned that we disagree with the all-or-nothing exercise philosophy but that doesn’t mean that starting (or maintaining) a workout routine isn’t going to be challenging or really get you feeling uncomfortable. There is a big difference between making every workout take you beyond your limits and knowing when you need to push harder during a workout. To improve your fitness and reap the rewards of weight loss and body transformation you will need to incorporate high intensity workouts with low intensity cardiovascular work as well as building strength and flexibility. Learning how your body reacts and listening to when enough is enough is an important component to building fitness.
The solution
A balanced workout schedule that caters to improving your fitness, optimizing weight loss and being sensible about achieving your goals is key. Active8me provides a range of customised programs that cater to your current level, whether that be beginner or athlete, runner or yogi!
What’s the ‘fitness trend’ story in your head?
This all-or-nothing damaging fitness trend is propagated because of the stories we tell ourselves. Those beliefs we already have around health and fitness that fit with what we’ve seen and heard in the media or from fitness fanatic friends. Living a healthy and active lifestyle for life is far more valuable than trendy workouts or all-or-nothing approaches. Just like yo-yo diets don’t work, either do yo-yo fitness workouts. A balanced and consistent approach where you learn to push your body at appropriate times will give you better physical and mental results in the long run. But, while we can spell this out for you, it’s up to you to change the story you have around health and fitness. Get that sorted and you’re well on your way!
