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Be Your Own Personal Trainer

by Thabang

It’s a common struggle. You have set your intention, you’re ready to start on your fitness journey but you are completely overwhelmed. What to do or where to start…..?

Thanks to the internet, we have information overload which sometimes makes working out look more confusing than it actually is. It’s hard to know what really works or what doesn’t, what exercises to do and how often you should train. It’s definitely easier to just hire a personal trainer to help you figure all those details for you, but sure, you know it comes at a cost. But not to worry, YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN if you can’t afford a personal trainer or you like the freedom of doing your own thing.

You know your body and your lifestyle better than anyone else, what activities you enjoy and which foods you are likely to eat. Maybe you tried some programs without success but with a little bit of planning, you can put your knowledge to use and design the perfect plan for yourself.
Becoming your own personal trainer may not be the easiest thing but the payoff is huge. You’ll gain all of the essential skills to get your mind and body in shape and staying fit and healthy along the way.
Keep reading for some tips and get ready to take your workouts to the next level.
1. SET A GOAL and follow the S.M.A.R.T. guidelines.
  • Be SPECIFIC in exactly what you want to achieve (e.g., rather than “I want to get in shape.” a specific goal would say, “I will join a fitness club and workout 3 days a week.””).
  • Make sure your goal is MEASURABLE and you’re able to track your success consistently.
  • Is your goal ACHIEVABLE? Pick a goal that is challenging but practical rather than one that is too ambitious.
  • Your goal must be REALISTIC to allow your taking your health to go on the direction you want, not scattered and inconsistent.
  • And lastly, your goals must be TIME SPECIFIC to create a sense of urgency by setting your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal. (e.g. I need to lose 5 kg by the 1st of June).

Write down your goals and regularly check in your progress. Best of all, you become your own number one cheerleader.

2. CREATE A WORKOUT SCHEDULE .

  • Total body strength training gives significant improvements in body composition, performance and health. As a beginner you may aim to have at least three sessions per week as it targets major muscle groups.
  • For advanced you may have different days to target different muscle groups in each workout depending on your goals (e.g. Core, upper and lower targeted workouts).
  • Regular and consistent exercise stimulates muscular strength and burns calories.
  • Change it up by increasing your weights, try a new workout video or visit a fitness class to avid getting bored and quitting.

3. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

  • The scale is not the only way to measure progress. Track your body measurements (great article on how). Your clothes may be getting more loose. Not all changes are visible on the scale.
  • Notice any changes emotionally. Your mood may be more positive and you feel less stressed out.
  • Your performance may have improved (e.g. you can do more push-ups per minute than when you first started out).
  • Tracking the progress you’re making will reinforce your motivation.

4. YOUR NUTRITION PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE

  • ‘You can’t out-exercise a bad diet.’ or ‘Abs are made in the kitchen’.
  • Staying well hydrated and fueling your body with healthy balance food helps your progress just as much as doing your exercises.
  • Starving yourself or seriously cutting down calories will detrimentally affect your progress.

5. NEVER STOP LEARNING

  • Your fitness should not end when you reach your goal, it should be a lifestyle choice for as long as you live.
  • Your body will go through changes and to ensure progress, it’s important to continue learning and apply that new knowledge to your training.

Without any formal training, I have come a long way in my fitness journey. I am in a place where I fully understand my own body. I know when to push myself or when to hit pause. It takes time but if you commit yourself, the gains are worth it.

Best of luck to everyone and please give me a shout if ever your need a training buddy.

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