By: Nick Thomas
My hope is, at this point, that I have been extremely clear about what role nutrition can and will play in your life — which means now it is time to approach the activity level needed to sustain a healthy life. Let’s be real, there is no way that your activity level will be a constant over the years. You will go through phases of life, and time or physical limitations will be a factor, which of course makes the nutrition I’ve been preaching about even more important. But don’t worry, I’m not going down that path again.
The activity side of fitness is not everyone’s favorite topic, mainly because you don’t want to hear the actual reality of what it takes to be effective. There are multiple components to fitness which have to be met for your daily activity to be truly beneficial.
There are also other factors which vary based on the individual as well. Of course, age and physical ability and/or injury is a consideration, but more than that are your goals. Things such as weight loss or gain, or even maintenance, call for different approach, along with muscle growth. Finally, what makes this all sustainable is not just success in achieving your goals, but the enjoyment of the activities getting you there. Simply put, you will never stick with something you hate. A weekly and monthly plan has to be made with sound training knowledge of exercise that challenges you and provides a total body approach giving you balance, strength, and more, depending on your goals.
For most people, walking/jogging on a treadmill or spending 30 minutes in the gym doing a basic split routine a few days a week is not going to develop change either way, at least not past a certain point…not to mention how bored you will become, which will ultimately lead to quitting. This is where the “sound training knowledge” comes in to play. The key is having an educated trainer who truly understands the body and how to create challenging, personalized workout plans, which progress continually as you reach new levels so there are always new achievements to be excited about.
Working out should provide a release, it should be a tough but stress-relieving portion of your day. Yes, trainers cost money, BUT they provide you so many benefits. First, a trainer is going to give you their expertise making sure to keep you from injury and/or exhaustion with the process in general. Next, it doesn’t matter what time of day you work out; there is just something about showing up dressed and ready and not having to think at all. Just do what you’re told to achieve a good burn and sweat. Finally, by having someone to keep routines fresh and new, you stay engaged physically and mentally achieving goals. Having someone to encourage you and keep you focused and pushing forward is priceless. The accountability factor you gain by paying for and scheduling workouts regularly with a motivating, educated trainer will exponentially increase your sustainability in living a healthy life mentally, nutritionally, and physically.
Building a sustainable lifestyle is not about one key thing. It is about a personally specific combination of things, and it’s most definitely about being able to adjust when needed. Never lose sight of the goal; this is to create ease and energy and happiness. The moment the stress of some portion of life becomes too much means it’s time to make a change. Seek out what best fits you and make positive choices, even tough ones at times, to protect your lifestyle and create a sustainable and healthy future.
By: Nick Thomas
Owner of Prime Performance Training, and Certified Sports Nutritionist
