What to expect?
In an industry filled with gimmicks and quick fixes, I aim to offer a practical, sustainable program to help you achieve and maintain your fitness goals. Taking a pragmatic approach to fitness may not seem as exciting as the latest fad, but there’s an important reason behind this simplistic approach.
Starting a journey toward a healthier lifestyle often brings a surge of excitement. Aspirations soar, and it's tempting to dive into intense, overly ambitious workouts when motivation is at its highest. But before diving headfirst, pause for a moment and consider the likely outcome of making such a drastic shift. Too often, people find their dreams sidelined by injury or experience burnout so severe it extinguishes any motivation to leave the couch, only leaving behind a sense of failure and disappointment.
It's best to take it steady to reduce the chance of injury as much as possible. Here’s some free advice: the main contributors to injury are (1) doing too much, (2) progressing too quickly, and (3) pushing too hard. A balanced approach will help you make lasting, fulfilling progress without the heartache of burnout or injury.
Trust me, when it comes to exercise, slow and steady truly wins the race. For me the, the challenge is doing the crazy workouts in a class every now and again, its having the discipline to resist the urge to say 'I will do it tomorrow'. Anyone who has exercised long enough has had them days and thought to themselves - it's too cold, am too tired or just dreaded the thought of stepping into a gym. Now, may be they don't set a new PB but that's fine, may be it is a rather poor performance but they did something. What I propose is more than just a fitness program; it's a commitment to a lifestyle and mentality that embraces incremental progress as the cornerstone of lasting change. This journey is not about the leaps taken in a single bound, but the steady advancement made through consistent, manageable steps. It's about developing a routine that integrates seamlessly into your life, ensuring that exercise becomes an enduring positive force rather than a fleeting pursuit.
So, whether you are seasoned veteran or taking your first steps into personal training it is important to approach it with realistic expectations. It’s natural to want quick results, but true, lasting change is borne from time and consistency. I would suggest anyone wanting to improve their fitness have a clear plan to achieve their goals and stay motivated. With these principles in mind, the training program avoids any staleness and evolves with each milestone maintaining the overall long-term effectiveness.
If you’re wondering about timelines, here are some general estimates, though they will depend on your specific fitness goals and training history:
- Weight Loss: Consistent weight loss progress can usually be seen within 4-8 weeks, with a safe and sustainable rate of about 0.5-1 kg (1-2 pounds) per week, depending on diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors.
- Strength Gains: For most people, early strength increases can start around the 6-week mark, with a potential increase of about 2.5 kg in full-body exercises every 1-2 weeks, especially for beginners who are adapting quickly to the new stimuli.
- Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth): For muscle gain, visible changes tend to appear after 8-12 weeks, with an average gain of around 0.5-1 kg (1-2 pounds) of muscle per month for beginners.
- Cardiovascular Endurance: Noticeable improvements in stamina and endurance often begin within 4-6 weeks of regular cardio training, like running or cycling.
