Effort. This is where the difference comes to play in fitness. “At least I show up.” This is good. You overcame half the battle, which is to show up. But, the real test is how much you put in. Tired, stressed, lack of sleep, low energy, all these play a part in terms of how much you are willing to push. There are days where you don’t feel like exercising and that’s completely normal. However, you cannot let this be the case all the time; it’s a slippery slope. So let’s dive into the topic of effort.
Just showing up is not good enough.
First, just showing up is not good enough. Its as if you are leaving it up to chance. For example, a student going to class expecting to get an A because he/she attends class all the time. If he/she doesn’t study, then that A will not be achieved. Results in fitness is similar; effort-based. So if the push isn’t there, then change will not happen. Whether its meal planning or the workouts, it requires a tremendous amount. Soooo much more work than people assume. I guess that’s why I still have my job, right? You’re showing up, that’s great. Now let’s focus on putting in effort so change will happen.
Secondly, is to define the level of effort. “I’m doing so much…this and that.” We hear this a lot as personal trainers and we give a lot of credit to our clients for putting the work. However, if change is not happening, then something is going on. As much as we want to believe our clients 100%, there’s still that unknown we don’t see. Generally, we see our clients 1 hour a day. The rest of the 23 hours we don’t. The effort you put in front of a trainer versus on your own is where the test is. When we send workouts to our clients, how much rest time are you giving yourself? How intense is it? These are all factors that come to play when defining effort. So ask yourself, are you REALLY putting in 100%?
Ultimately, effort is the main factor when you want results. Without it, change will not happen. Just because you exercise doesn’t necessarily mean it will produce results. So don’t leave it up to chance by just showing up. Identify if you are putting enough work and focus on getting to 100%. Hope you liked this week’s blog. Stay tuned for more next Wed………..Kei