TDB Fitness Newsletter 1/23/2022
Many of our Teammates come to us after years of trying different fitness journeys that just didn’t stick. The truth is, if you don’t like the kind of fitness you’re doing, you’re going to quit! See this week’s trainer’s tips for how to design a fitness plan you’ll actually want to follow.
You don’t have to run if you don’t want to
Have you ever started a fitness journey just to give up in frustration before seeing results? You’re not alone! Achieving a fitness goal often necessitates changing your lifestyle and adopting new habits around movement and eating. Neither of these things are easy, and they’re made much more difficult when you find yourself dreading exercise.
A lot of the people we talk to have given up on prior fitness journeys. Everyone seems to be looking for a way to make fitness “stick” in their lives. Another commonality? The definition of fitness that lives in everyone’s head is very narrow. The first thing that seems come out of everyone’s mouth: “I really hate running.”
Look, you don’t have to run! Not everyone can run a marathon. Not everyone wants to. And frankly, the kind of training it takes to be able to run a marathon isn’t healthy for every body. Also, being able to run a marathon is only one measure of “fitness.” You can also run a marathon, and still be horribly unhealthy in a thousand other ways…
The truth is, it’s your life! And if all the physical fitness options you’ve tried so far haven’t stuck, you have the power to broaden the definition of what you consider “fitness.” Consider the following when thinking outside the box to design a fitness plan that’s right for you:
- What thoughts do I have about working out? Our thoughts directly impact our feelings which directly impact our behaviors. When your first thought about working out is negative – you feel bad about doing it. When working out feels bad, you stop working out. If you’re stuck in a cycle of forcing yourself to work out in ways that make you feel bad, stop! Listen to yourself. Go back to square one and design fitness goals that make you feel good.
- How can I add movement to my lifestyle in small ways? Not everyone has to be a professional athlete. Oftentimes, achieving fitness goals that are right for body looks like incorporating physical fitness into your routine in small ways. Taking the stairs, taking walks on your breaks, cutting your own lawn, putting on music and dancing while you clean the house; consider ways you can turn things you already do into opportunities to elevate your heart rate and move your muscles.
- What kind of movement do I enjoy? Even if you’re like me and sports have never really been your “thing,” you likely still have moved at some point in a way that brought you joy. I love dancing. Not like, dance class/dance team/choreography dancing – I’m not coordinated in that way. I just love blasting pop music and dancing my heart out. Now, is dancing like this for 10-20 minutes each day going to get me to my ultimate fitness goal? Probably not. However, if you can’t get yourself moving at all, starting the process in small ways you enjoy can help generate the momentum you need to do more.
- What is step one? When we set goals, we often think about the ultimate end-goal. Our ideal image or fantasy of how we want to look, or how we want to live. Unfortunately, humans have never been able to start any process on step 10. You likely had to crawl before you could walk. So, what is step one? You have the rest of your life to live a healthy lifestyle and make your way to step 10.
- What is my ultimate goal? Is your ultimate goal right for your body? Is it attainable for you? Is there a less daunting, more timely goal you can create to get yourself moving now? Try creating smaller fitness goals that will scaffold your journey to get you to the ultimate end-goal. Maybe your first goal is to get moving 10-20 minutes per day in a way that brings your joy. Once you achieve that goal, reassess. You can always design something more challenging for yourself later, once it’s attainable for you.
The most important characteristic of any fitness plan is longevity. Are you actually willing to follow the plan long-term? If the answer is no, then you will not achieve your goals; it’s that simple. Sometimes it takes some trial and error to figure it out. Try not to get discouraged if you try out a fitness plan that ends up not being right for you. You are the master of your own destiny: go back to the drawing board and design something new. Just don’t be afraid to think outside the box!
Team Announcements
NEW VIRTUAL WORKOUT SCHEDULE
Vinnie and I reexamined some of our goals for TDBFitness! We’ve decided to try out a new schedule for LIVE virtual workouts. We will post a link to LIVE virtual workout in the private Facebook Group as usual, 5 days a week at 10:30a EDT/EST. Those lives will take place every morning Monday through Friday. This will leave Saturdays open to create opportunities for events and in-person workout classes.
RENEA TAKES OVER
In 2022, you’ll be spending your Wednesday mornings with Renea. Your Wednesday workout will now be a 30 minute core/mobility fusion flow. Looking forward to hitting the mat with you!
Team Di Bella Fitness 
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