THE PURPOSE OF A WEIGHT TRAINING ROUTINE
December 17th, 2008
People join gyms every day across America. Every day this is a new diet program or weight training routine, each promising that this will be the magic bullet for weight loss or to build muscle. What remains an interesting phenomenon is that most of them don’t actually deliver what they promise. Don’t believe me? Start noticing the people around you in the gym.
Many people are doing different weight training routines or exercise plans. Notice though how many keep doing the same things over and over, without making significant progress? How many are continuing to just doing the same handful of exercises over and over? From what I have seen in my own gym, except for a very small handful, I would bet most. Maybe you know someone like this. Maybe it’s you.
Would you begin a huge project with out any planning and hope that everything will come out ok in the end? Well, you might if you really didn’t care about the end result or how long it takes to get there. This is the approach that too many people have when it comes to working out in the gym. Finally, most give up out of frustration because they can’t figure out why it’s so hard to lose weight and build muscle. Unfortunately, most give up feeling even worse than when they started because they never understood how to get in shape in the first place. They didn’t have a plan. Failing not because of lack of effort, they failed because they didn’t understand how to construct an exercise plan.
Getting in shape is simple, but not easy. Simple because on a large scale there are only three things you have to do to get in great shape and have a great body. Well, actually there is a fourth. Assuming all responsibility for your success, this is a crucial element most miss. First, you must sensibly. Second, you need a moderate amount of cardiovascular conditioning. Third, focus on building muscle.
What is not easy is that you are going to have to make changes in your lifestyle. Creating new habits can be difficult. Initially a lot of what is going to take places is more mental than physical. As you get the ball rolling, you will start seeing results, but not as fast as you may want. During the first few weeks or months, temptations such as short cuts become very appealing. We start looking for the quick fixes. There are numerous unscrupulous supplement companies promising you overnight success. I can tell you from experience that most of these products don’t work.
Many people believe that with their diet, everything has to be strict, controlled and difficult. Following the belief that you need to take in less calories people often believe that this means taking in a lot less food. Often times you will actually eat more food than you are used to. Eating supportively for you body, does mean eating less junk food. True. Most are surprised how far calories go. I tell my clients, you need to eat about every 2 to 3 hours a meal consisting of a lean protein, fibrous vegetable, and healthy starch. By healthy I mean anything that has not been processed or enriched. After a few days you will find you have more energy that you ever did before. Your energy levels will remain high and constant throughout the day. Not to mention that body fat will begin to come off your body.
This is a continual process, not a one day event. This’s why it is important to look at you workout routine with long term goals.
