Balancing life and fitness

As a personal trainer in Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk, one of the biggest objections i get to committing to a fitness regime is, ‘i just dont have the time.’ My answer to this can sometimes be as simple as asking them what time they get up. If they say 7 am, i tell them to get up at 6 am and magically they have an extra hour in the day to train.

But really its not always as simplistic as this. Our lives are fluid and dynamic. Constantly moving around family, work and a whole host of other commitments and unforeseen circumstances. I have a family, run my own business, train clients, run boot camps, create bespoke training plans, write blogs etc etc. Its tough but with planning, dedication and maybe sometimes a can of Red Bull i do get my workouts in.

My 3 top tips for getting the balance are:

1 – Priorities

We constantly fill our lives with fluff, nonsense and stuff that achieves nothing and takes up our valuable time. Remember fitness is an investment in ourselves, not an expense or luxury. It should be high on our priority list. If we look after our bodies and minds through fitness, we will be better able to deal with the other priorities in our life. If we put our health first, everything else in our life will be first class. Cut out the fluff and prioritise your workouts.

2 – Planning

Just like John ‘Hannibal’ Smith from the A-Team, i love it when a plan comes together. Personally i look at all the clients i have for the week in the diary and other family and work non negotiables, then i plan when ill have my workouts around that and stick to them. I also plan each workout for the week in advance. That way when i get to the gym im not wasting time wondering what ill do. I get there and get on with it. Having a plan gives us structure, accountability and streamlines the whole week. We can also track our progress if we plan each workout in advance. This way we have a record of our progress, we can see how we are improving which will increase motivation and adherence to training.

3 – Enjoyment!

You must enjoy your workouts! So do something you enjoy. If you hate swimming, dont do it. Do weights instead if you like them. To keep the life, fitness balance you must look forward to working out and not see it as a chore. If it is a chore theres no balance. Doing something you enjoy will lead to you prioritising it more and planning it better. We are not martyrs to the gym or to the fitness cause. We have one life so find something you love doing and the results will come quicker and the journey will be far more enjoyable.

I do hope this brief blog helps at least someone create a better life, fitness balance. I would write more but ive planned to go to the gym!

If you require further help, feel free to contact me about this and the other various fitness solutions we offer to fit you and your life.

Healthy regards, Neil