Tag Archives: Motivation

Fitness

Unleash Your Potential: The Power of Goal Setting in Fitness

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Ready to start your journey? Yes, then goal setting is a straightforward yet crucial first step towards unlocking your full potential whether you’re an experienced athlete or just a beginner. This blog will explore the significant impact that goal setting can have on your fitness endeavours and look at how creating goals can help you succeed including igniting your motivation whilst developing your self-discipline and perseverance. So, are you ready to unleash your potential and embark on a journey to success? Great, let’s get started!

Why Does Goal Setting Matter in Fitness?

There are endless possibilities in the fitness world so setting clear and meaningful goals provides direction and motivation. They will guide you towards your aspirations, whether it’s running a marathon, losing weight or simply improving overall health. Here’s why goal setting is crucial:

  • Importance of direction and focus: Specific goals allow you to tailor training to reach your objectives, such as increasing strength or improving endurance. Research has shown that setting specific fitness goals can enhance performance.
  • Motivation and accountability: Goal setting can fuel your motivation, driving you forward even when you feel like giving up. So, share your goals with others on social media to increase your accountability and commitment.
  • Sense of accomplishment: Achieving your goals should boost your self-confidence and create a feeling of pride. Therefore, each milestone provides evidence of your progress and should be celebrated, no matter how small.

For instance, when I decided to run my first 10k race, setting a specific goal of running three times a week helped me steadily progress towards my target distance. Still not convinced that goal setting helps you reach your potential? Check out the video below to hear from the Olympians themselves!

SMART Goals

Goal setting in fitness can be complicated so using the SMART criteria provides an effective structured approach. Here’s what SMART stands for:

  • Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve. For example, instead of a vague goal like “lose weight,” specify “exercise three days a week.”
  • Measurable: Establish key metrics to track progress. This could involve tracking your workouts, your daily food intake, or your weekly run mileage.
  • Attainable: Always make your goals realistic. If you consistently set overly ambitious goals, it can lead to disappointment which slows progress.
  • Relevant: Ensure your fitness goals align with your overall objectives and lifestyle. It is important to consider how achieving your goal contributes to your long-term well-being.
  • Timely: Set a clear timeline for your goal. For example, rather than aiming to “run a 10k someday,” specify “complete a 5k in three months” to help you stay on track.
Image credit: Pixabay

Crafting Your Action Plan

Developing an action plan is crucial for turning your fitness goals into reality. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Break it down: Divide your overarching goal into smaller steps. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, break it down into weekly mileage targets.
  2. Schedule workouts: Set aside dedicated time for exercise in your weekly schedule. Treat this time as non-negotiable commitments so your fitness is prioritised.
  3. Track your progress: Use a fitness journal, app, or wearable device to monitor your workouts and progress towards your goals.
  4. Adjust as needed: Always be flexible and willing to adapt your action plan based on your progress and changing circumstances. It is okay to take a step back to go forwards!

By creating and using a detailed action plan, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals. For guidance on the best free fitness apps to monitor your workouts, check out this helpful video:

Maintaining Motivation

Staying motivated on your fitness journey is crucial for long-term success. So, here are some tips to help you stay on track:

  1. Ask your friends: Exercising with a friend can make workouts more enjoyable whilst also holding you accountable. A study found that working out with a friend can promote greater weight loss in the short and long term than exercising alone.
  2. Celebrate Milestones: Recognise and reward your progress when you achieve a milestone or reach a goal such as a treating yourself to a new workout outfit.
  3. Keep it fun: Try to mix up your workouts to prevent boredom and stay engaged. Fun is different for everyone, so do what is right for you.
  4. Stay Positive: Maintain a positive attitude and remind yourself off the benefits of regular exercise such as increased energy, improved mood, and better overall health.

Looking for an extra dose of inspiration? Check out this video to hear some of the best motivational quotes from famous athletes:

Overcoming Challenges

Whilst achieving your fitness goals, you are likely to encounter challenges that can slow your progress. There are common hurdles that many encounter on their fitness journey including a lack of time and changing motivation levels. However, these obstacles can be overcome with the right strategies:

  • Time management: Prioritise your workouts and schedule them into your daily routines.
  • Finding Motivation: Seek sources of motivation through friends or motivational quotes from athletes to maintain the drive to exercise.
  • Access to resources: If you’re facing issues such as financial constraints or having limited access to equipment, try to remain resilient and creative when finding solutions.

For inspiration, watch this video of Michael Jordan triumphing over setbacks in his career:

Goal Refinement and Progression

As you progress on your fitness journey, it’s essential to periodically review and refine your goals. This simple process allows you to adjust your objectives based on your changing capabilities. So, here’s how to effectively refine and progress your goals:

  1. Reflect on your progress: Take time to evaluate your current achievements to assess whether your goals are still appropriate.
  2. Adjust as needed: If you’ve surpassed a goal or it no longer challenges you, consider setting new, more ambitious objectives to keep yourself motivated and improving.
  3. Focus on sustainability: Always aim for balance in your fitness endeavours and ensure that your goals promote long-term health and wellbeing rather than just short-term results.
  4. Seek new challenges: Embrace opportunities to explore different fitness activities or training methods to prevent boredom and continue growing both physically and mentally.

By regularly refining and progressing your fitness goals, you can be constantly improving and maintain your enthusiasm on your journey towards optimal health and performance.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Wrapping it Up

Congratulations on taking the first steps toward achieving your fitness goals! Remember, success is a journey, not a destination. We’d love to hear about your progress and experiences, so feel free to share your feedback and and additional tips you may have. Together, we can strive for greatness!

 

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5 Fun Ways to Get Fit Without a Gym

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Whilst a gym is a great place to work out, it’s not always the easiest or cheapest option for everyone. However, when it comes to exercising from home, it can be almost impossible to motivate yourself. At Exercise.co.uk, we believe that being creative whilst getting fit is a key factor in inspiring you to keep working out.

So we will be looking at these 5 fun ways to get fit without a gym!

Want to skip ahead? Jump to the specific part below:

  1. Skipping
  2. Hula Hooping
  3. Dancing
  4. Trampolining
  5. Try a Sport

Skipping

Skipping is a fun and straightforward exercise that comes with numerous benefits. It is a great way to get into home workouts and is easily personalised to what you need. Skipping allows you to set the pace and work at your own level, but will also become easier with practise. Eventually, once it is part of your routine, you can begin to change speeds, include tricks, and even make fun routines to your favourite workout songs. If you are looking for a tougher workout, be sure to purchase a weighted skipping rope for a more intense burn.

It is not only fun to skip rope, but it also comes with many health benefits. Skipping can burn as many as 1,600 calories in just an hour and is a great alternative to running or jogging. It is also categorised as a cardio exercise which includes a great number of advantages such as heart and lung health.

For more information on cardio exercise, check out our article The Benefits of Cardio Exercise.

Hula Hooping

Hula hooping is another fun and easy exercise that can be done from home. Not only does it help burn calories, this exercise focuses on the core muscles, resulting in less abdominal fat and a toned stomach. It’s a great way to not only stay fit, but also includes other benefits such as a healthier heart and lungs, improves balance and helps the immune system.

However, hula hooping is not just about the health benefits. With some upbeat music on, it can be easy to complete a fun workout  that incorporates creative routines and changes of pace.

In order to get the full effect on how fun hula hooping can be, it’s important to make sure you have the right music playing, so be sure to check out our article on How to Make the Best Exercise Playlist. 

Dancing

Dancing is one of the most fun ways to stay healthy. To incorporate it into your routine does not necessarily mean you need to join a dance class, unless, of course, you want to. However, with new interactive apps and websites it is now easy to get the most out of dancing!

YouTube has a variety of guided dance workouts available, therefore if there is anything specific in mind you wish to incorporate, for example, a favourite musician or album you like to workout to, there is a strong chance there is a video perfect for you. To search for some fun dance videos be sure to include key phrases such as:

  • 20 min dance workout
  • Dance workout for beginners 
  • Dance workout full body no equipment

If you are not a fan of YouTube, there are many apps that provide a visual guided workout experience. Whilst not all fitness apps include dance routines, many still incorporate fun workouts and can be very beneficial when trying to stay fit without a gym. 

If you would like to see our favourite exercise apps, make sure to check our list of Fitness Apps That Can Make Exercising at Home Easier.

Trampolining

Trampolining is a great and easy way to stay fit and with an indoor trampoline, this can be achieved at home. It can quickly get your pulse racing and is great for those just beginning their workout journey without a gym.

Working out on a trampoline focuses on your leg muscles however, different moves can be incorporated into your workout to make sure the full body receives attention. An indoor trampoline also includes the ability to start with low impact exercises so you can warm up to a high intensity workout. You can get started and see the progress for yourself with our Marcy Fitness Trampoline here.

For a more guided tutorial on how to use an indoor trampoline, check out our 5 Exercises You Can Do On a Trampoline to get the most out of your workout.  

 

Try a Sport

If you struggle to motivate yourself, finding a sport you enjoy is a great way to stay on track, especially if you are a competitive person.  Playing a sport helps you commit to a fitness routine and makes sure you get your active hours in during the week. However, sport is also beneficial because you can get fit and stay healthy whilst having an invested interest in something more than just losing weight.

If you are nervous about starting a new sport, make sure to bring a friend to play with or join a team. As long as you are staying active and having fun, it does not matter if you are particularly talented at the sport or not. 

If you are unsure on which sport might be for you, then check out our information on boxing. As an individual sport its great for building strength and staying fit so be sure to read our Boxing Techniques for Beginners and check out our boxing equipment here.

So…

If your workout routine needs some refreshment, or perhaps the gym isn’t for you, then these 5 fun ways to get fit without a gym is a great place to begin. Enjoying your workout is vital for staying motivated, so if you lack the commitment be sure to invest in these fun exercises. 

Before beginning your exercise journey, please be sure to consult your doctor and always be safe when using equipment.

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The best ways to stay mentally and physically prepared for your profession.

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Living in the unprecedented times that we currently do, the pandemic has forced many people to put their careers and professions on hold, in particular the Musical Theatre industry; a high intensity, hard working and extremely physical job.

For me and many other fellow performers it has been a matter of making sure our mental well-being and physical health has been looked after in preparation for theatres to return again so we can go back to pursuing our career just like many others will have had to do in other professions, such as personal training or other sporting careers.

Key motivators for your profession that can be specific to YOU…

As hard as staying motivated is during these times where motivation has to be driven by yourself and nobody else, there are many ways to keep positive and stay motivated for when your profession returns such as:

  • Setting realistic physical achievements that will enhance and improve your performance when you return to work such as walking 5000 steps per day or joining in a live workout three times a week to build up stamina again.
  • Make the physical exercise you are doing specific to YOU and your profession. As an example on a long walk I would listen to music from the musical I am going to be working in next to motivate me and help me enjoy the physical exercise more. Make. It. Suit. You.
  • Make a story board or a mood board with pictures of all of the things you would like to achieve or things that inspire you that you can set as your Lock Screen on your phone to remind you daily of where you would eventually like to be in your career.

Here is an example of mine…


An interview with Musical Theatre professionals…

Here is a clip of fellow Musical Theatre performers Alex Steele, Maddison Rowe and Esme Bacalla-Hayes answering some of my questions on how they are staying mentally and physically healthy in preparation for when the industry reopens again. Including advice and insightful information as to how and what YOU could do to improve mental well being, motivation and physical performance in preparation for YOUR profession…

An overview of general tips the girls suggested that help with mental health that everyone can benefit from…

  • Make a to do list for the day ahead and check things off as and when you do things, great for peace of mind and to relieve stress.
  • Make your bed and tidy your room, as silly as it sounds it really does make you feel a whole lot better.
  • Try to keep yourself in a routine throughout the day, it keeps the mind occupied and focused.
  • Most importantly, KEEP GOING, YOU’VE GOT THIS. A positive mental attitude is key.

Physical exercise and its effects on your mental well-being…

It becomes very apparent after talking with three professionals that are awaiting their career to restart that physical exercise can have a huge impact on not just your physical health but your mental well-being and motivation too which are both huge factors to keep in mind during the current circumstances where mental well-being and motivation can be affected the most.

Things physical exercise can help with in particular are:

  • Positivity.
  • Feeling more alert and energised.
  • Relieving stress.
  • Sleeping better.
  • Increase in self confidence.

So here are some tips on how to specifically stay PHYSICALLY prepared for your profession…

At home workouts!

At home workouts are a great way to start getting physically prepared for your career again. It is something you can do at your own pace within the comfort of your own home, without feeling like you have to keep up with anyone else. It is also a FREE and easy way to keep active without needing much equipment.

Setting 3 workouts per week on specific days would be a great place to start to enable your body and mind to adapt to the changes that are being made in regards to physical exercise, when you feel ready you can build the quantity of workouts OR how long you workout for.

‘Short on time? Hate the gym?  Too tired to exercise after work? 10 minute workouts are just what you need.’ NHS.uk.

If you’re struggling to find the right ones for you here are some of the workouts I like to use for some inspiration…

  • Gabby Allen workouts.
  • Courtney Black workouts.
  • Joe Wicks workouts.

These are all FREE and available on either YouTube, Instagram or Facebook so go and have a try!

 

A simple walk can work wonders!

’Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier’ NHS.uk.

Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise yet it is so beneficial for both the mind and body. Taking a long walk can be just as beneficial as a short workout in regards to burning calories. A great way to track how far you have walked and how many calories you have burned is buy using the ‘Fitness’ App on either your phone or Apple Watch if you have access to one.
Here is an example of a walk I went on and just LOOK at how many calories I burned… from a walk!

REMINDER!

However with this all being said this is just a reminder to everyone that it is very much OKAY to have days where you don’t feel motivated or don’t feel like you want to workout and be your most productive self. It is OKAY to feel anxious or stressed about the future and how your profession will be affected by this pandemic. It is OKAY to rest and take a day to look after your mental health in other, more comforting ways. Do you know why? Because we are human and each day is never the same for many reasons. The most important thing is that we have the tools and knowledge to come back from these more trying and difficult days, knowing that the simple walk or workout may make you feel that little bit better…

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/?WT.tsrc=Search&WT.mc_id=Brand&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7YyCBhD_ARIsALkj54oDk_1UUTj367kj3bmTXOcjeDA-NPKg9eLB-BsFS5o6MXhyXICqKq0aAmuIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

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How to improve your mental wellbeing through fitness and exercise

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Limitations live only in our minds.  But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. – Jamie Paolinetti

Maintaining our mental wellbeing is one of the most important aspects which helps contribute toward a healthy fulfilled life, there are an endless variety of ways you can ensure you are taking care of yourself mentally and fitness and exercise are some of the most effective methods. It is clear the benefits that exercise has on our physical body, but people often don’t realise the great positive effects that maintaining exercise also has on the mind! Exercise has in fact be proven to be so great for the mind that those who suffer from challenging mental health battles such as depression and anxiety have felt an improvement mentally, the effects of the illnesses can be eased due to the positive influence that fitness has on the mind and the raise of serotonin that it creates within the mind. The most challenging step can be motivation, but if you can motivate yourself to persist through the first steps of your fitness journey then you can change the way you live your life through the power of exercise.

Not yet aware of how exercises and fitness methods can improve and maintain your mental health? Let’s take a look at some of the best exercises to help get you on your journey to feeling the best version of yourself!

Running

 

 

 

 

Running is one of the best forms of exercise you can do due to its endless benefits, it is one of the most beneficial forms of cardio. Running is so easily accessible to all who wish to try it, however if you prefer not to run outdoors you can opt to run using a treadmill which can be just as effective! its all about your personal preference, the exercise is also open to all ages from the younger generations to the elderly who wish to take up a new hobby or continue their running habits. Running  can also be enjoyed at all different levels and paces to suit your fitness level and age range, the key to running is enjoyment and the incredible health benefits to the mind and body are a bonus.

Still not convinced that running and exercise can help improve your mental wellbeing to a great extent? Check out the video below!

If you’re not sure if running is for you then not to worry, there’s a much more laid back method of fitness you can try!

Yoga

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yoga is an extremely well known term, nevertheless many people do not actually realise how astounding yoga can be for not only improving your physical health but also your mental health. Yoga has allot of stigma surrounding it as many see it as simply a socialising opportunity, however yoga is one of the best exercises for increasing your body strength.  There are many different types of yoga poses so your choice is endless, there is something for everyone which makes yoga so enjoyable and appealing. As we are focusing on the topic of mental health, listed below are some the most prominent yoga benefits that can help improve and maintain your frame of mind and overall mental health situation.

Watch the video below to see just how effective yoga is at improving mental health and wellbeing!

If you’re still not sure whether yoga is right for you and it doesn’t seem like something you want to try, you can take a look at another effective exercise method listed below.

Resistance Training

 

 

 

 

 

Resistance training can be so gripping due to the vast variety of exercises it contains, you are simply not limited to one form of exercise for example if you don’t find lifting weights is a good choice for you then you can try kettlebells or powerbands instead to strengthen your body. Anyone of any age can also enjoy resistance training, just like running and yoga there is no age barrier that blocks you from enjoying and partaking in the exercises due to their being options for everyone’s body strengths and age preference.  Maintaining muscle strength is particularly important as we age and ensures we stay as healthy as possible physical wise, however resistance training is also brilliant at helping our mental wellbeing

In order to see a clearer picture of how effective resistance training can be for your mental wellbeing, watch the video below which shows how simple a form of resistance training can be incorporated into your life. The video also shows that not all forms of resistance training have to be more challenging to begin with for those of you who want to take a less intense approach!

 

It is important to remember that just like physical health, mental health progress also takes time and it is not one short easy road. With that being said, remind yourself that the journey to improvement and change is taking the first step. Through exercise and fitness of your physical body you can also help improve and ensure that your mental wellbeing is also taken care of,  the hope is that this blog gives you some encouragement of just how incredible exercise can be in helping transform, ease and manage your mental health so you can get the absolute best out of your life.