train smarter not harder

Published: Fri, 05/27/16

Hi ,

Are you training smarter, rather than harder? It’s a common occurrence I see in the gym. Going H.A.M. several days a week. I’ve noticed a lot of ladies taking several group fitness classes throughout the week, plus a training session or two with me, and top it off with some cardio. The kicker would be that after taking a class, they would go into the weight room and get another workout in. Oooh wee just makes me tired thinking about it! How about you? Not only are they exercising too much – in the same breath they are asking me for fat loss advice – because they aren’t losing anything. Of course, I give them the run down on my methods and what’s effective. It goes in one ear and out the other, I get it, because I used to exercise my socks off too. Grinding it out every day – with no real change.

The real change that I saw in my body happened once I gave up the all or nothing approach to fitness and nutrition. Not only that, slowing down and training smarter also helped with my mindset about body. When we are grinding it out and chasing fatigue – by chasing calories, counting them and knowing how much we are burning is So so exhausting and mentally draining. I learned to cover the big Rocks first - don’t worry about the rest and do what I could.

See, here’s the thing. More is not better and doesn’t lead to better results! Better is better. I know, when we first start working out we think we need to be in the gym several times a week for an hour or so. The other side of the coin – we are lead to believe we have to suffer to see real change. If it doesn’t hurt, it isn’t working. Have you ever felt this way? The fact is, we don’t have to unless you like to suffer – when we do come to a breaking point, the will power quickly diminishes if things are too restrictive in nature. Most of the time the determination leads to burnout and overtraining.

We get nowhere when we train excessively. The burnout leaves us defeated, frustrated, and possibly ready to give up- dare I say injury. Working out should enhance your life, not hinder it. The key to most things in life is moderation and consistency! We always hear we should have a moderate approach to nutrition, but it should also be applied to fitness as well.

Going hard and training several times a week does not lead to faster or better results. Like I said above, it may turn into injury or burnout. Ever been so sore from training that it took you over a week to recover? That’s definitely a red flag. This is not normal DOMS. DOMS usually dissipates in a couple days give or take.

Remember don’t go hard all the time, and if your relatively new to fitness, don’t go 0 to 100 with something that is not sustainable. Find what works for you and stay consistent. Plan recovery time, and track your progress.

Give your body and mind time to recover. If you’re working out every day, you're tearing down your body. If you constantly feel fatigued and run down, you may need to reevaluate your training volume. It's ok to take a day off, it won't kill you. It's good for you. Your body will thank you.

Lastly, avoid burnout by not trying to do all the things. Do one small thing at a time, or tackle just one goal at time. The key to success is Moderation and Consistency!

Favorite Fitness Reads of the week:

1. Why Getting Bigger Can Be a Better Fitness Goal Than Getting Smaller

2. IF MY BELLY OFFENDS YOU, THAT’S ON YOU.

3. 5 Things They’re Not Telling You About Sugar

Yours in Health and Happiness,

Candace

P.S. Can you do me a favor? Respond back and tell me your #1 struggle pertaining to working out. Thank you so much!

Have a great weekend! 😘