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5 Keys to Success With Your Fitness This Fall - Ottawa Fitness

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How to make sure that you reach your goals this fall!

We all know that it is that time of the year when the hot temperature begins to slowly drop and long nights start to shorten little by little. 

As much as I love the beginning of each season it always is sad to say goodbye to summer. 

You might find yourself ready to get back to your regular routine and excited about getting back on the wagon. 

How can we make sure that we succeed in our health and fitness this fall? 

With the fall season around the corner, how can we plan ahead?

Here are our 5 keys to success with your fitness this fall.

 

1. Set Goals

Setting your goals properly is the first (and often missed) step towards longterm success. 

Setting your goals properly is the first (and often missed) step towards longterm success. 

  • Be specific

The more specific your goals are the more easily you will be able to track your progress. 

Non-specific goal - get into shape

Specific goal - lose 25lbs or add 20lbs to my deadlift or drop my blood pressure to 120/80

 

  • Find what motivates you

Setting a goal that is special to you will help to push you when motivation drops.

i.e. fitting into a smaller pair of jeans, wearing your favourite dress again, running a 5K without knee pain, being able to play soccer with your grandkids, etc.    

  • Make behaviour goals that match your outcome goal

We can’t control our outcomes but we can control our behaviours. Have behaviour goals that will influence the outcome you wish to have.

i.e. Resistance Training 3x per week, attend 1 yoga class per week, 1 de-stressing activity per week (massage, short nature hike, reading your favourite book, etc.)

 

2. Identify obstacles

Obstacles are everywhere. If we let it, life will always get in the way. The best way to overcome obstacles is to foresee them in advance and to create strategies to deal with them when they arise. 

Identify your obstacles. If you aren’t sure what they are, look at what has gotten you off track in the past.

  • Maybe you keep getting injured anytime you start a fitness program. 
  • Maybe you always get overwhelmed at work and that throws you off. 
  • Maybe you find yourself losing motivation 3 weeks into any attempt to get fit. 
  • Maybe you ran out of ideas to keep you interested with your new healthy food choices.
Aim to foresee obstacles before they happen. 

Aim to foresee obstacles before they happen. 

There are solutions to all of these obstacles. It just takes a little bit of strategy.

  • Instead of undergoing physical rehab after you get hurt, try adding injury prevention to your workout program. 
  • Instead of letting work overwhelm you, try adding daily de-stressing activities to your routine to keep stress levels down.
  • If you lose motivation quickly, maybe you need to join a group program with some friends.
  • If you ran out of ideas for cooking healthy food choices, maybe you could buy a healthy cooking recipe book or take a cooking class with your significant other.

There is always an answer. Sometimes it just takes some effort to find one. 

3. Focus on the Fundamentals

When starting a new program in the fall, we are quick to take on many things at once. We get a new outfit for the gym, buy all sorts of new supplements, commit to getting up at 5am every day for a run, start 2 new training programs we found online, etc. 

The problem is that not only is this very hard to maintain, it skips over the fundamentals.

Focus on the fundamentals first. Mastering the basics of fitness and nutrition can go a long way. Once these fundamentals become a regular part of your routine, that is when you can take on more complex and specific things. 

Why buy all sorts of fancy supplements, if you don’t have a diet that first includes primarily whole foods?

Why get up every morning to run at 5am and follow 2 new training programs you found online, if you aren’t able to complete any of these for more than a few weeks?

The point here is, sometimes what seems like the most simple thing, might be the best for you. You just need to commit to it, do it regularly, then go from there.

Here are some fundamental habits we coach our clients on;

  • Eat lean protein at every meal
  • Resistance training 3 times per week
  • minimum 8 hours of sleep per night
  • Perform mobility work for 5-10 minutes per day
  • Track your progress every 1-2 weeks
“There is always an answer. Sometimes it just takes some effort to find one. ”

If you can focus on 1-2 habits at a time you are more likely to turn them into skills. Over time you can create more skills that will help you reach your goals in the long run. 

Focusing on too many of the little details can be overwhelming and hard to maintain.

Priorities...

Priorities...

This is kind of like mowing your lawn when your house is on fire. Instead prioritize and focus on what's most important. 

Focus on the basics and do them consistently.

4) Set Your Schedule

We all have busy lives. For most of us, it is our schedule that gets in the way. You know yourself best. Take a good look at your schedule and look for times that you can block off and commit to your behaviour goals. 

Which days can you fit in your exercise? Which days will you do meal preparation and buy groceries? When will you find opportunities to perform the mobility work you need to avoid injuries? 

The time is there, sometimes you just need to prioritize. 

Either use the calendar that is hanging on your fridge or set reminders on your phone.

Planning your workouts in advance is one of the best ways to stay on track.

Planning your workouts in advance is one of the best ways to stay on track.

Do what it takes to schedule your time properly so that you can balance out your week and stay on track. 

Block time off for workouts, de-stressing activities, meal preparation, and you time. 

5) Accountability

It is often not a lack of information that prevents people from achieving their goals. Instead, it is their inability to consistently apply that information over time.

Even the most disciplined and well intentioned people will have life throw them off track. How can you ensure that you stay on track this fall? 

What are the things that will help motivate you and hold you accountable to your goals?

“Do what it takes to schedule your time properly so that you can balance out your week and stay on track. ”

Here are some ways you can hold yourself accountable; 

  • signing up for a group exercise class
  • signing up for a new sport/leisure activity you’ve always wanted to do
  • joining a fitness/nutrition challenge
  • getting an exercise buddy that is more dedicated than you are
  • hiring a personal/online trainer (this is our specialty, click here for more information)
At Evertrain, we offer small group training for those who enjoy the added accountability and camaraderie of working with others.

At Evertrain, we offer small group training for those who enjoy the added accountability and camaraderie of working with others.

Find something that will act as your anchor when times get tough and motivation dips. This can make all the difference on whether or not you reach your goals.

Conclusion

Don’t let this fall be another failed attempt at finally reaching your health and fitness goals. Use these 5 keys to success and you will increase your chances of not only reaching your goals, but maintaining them for life!

If you would like to know more about our programs and how we can get you into the best shape of your life, contact us today to book your FREE consultation by clicking this link.

P.S. We have some amazing offers to announce soon. Email us today to ask us about our promotions this fall!

[EDIT: We've introduced a new program for busy men and women over 50. Ask us about our LeanAfter50-Online program and get started on your path to success today.]

Yours in health,

Julie Leblanc

Owner / Head Trainer

The Evertrain Team