2020 is coming to an end soon, so what does that mean? It means those wonderful New Year’s resolutions will be coming to light, people’s motivation levels and intentions will be high, and Instagram influencers will be selling their “fitness programs” for a hot premium.

I want to go over right now the biggest mistakes I see majority of everyday people who just want to focus on better health, stronger bodies, and a more impactful carryover to everyday living make when they begin their own health and fitness journey for the New Year:

1. Start too hard, too often- if you are sick and tired of every year starting a new fitness program or diet routine and stopping several days/weeks into it, you might be the victim of what I like to call, “The Motivators”.

Motivation is an emotional feeling that comes and goes just like people walking on sidewalks; do they always stick to the sidewalk or do they veer from it and make their way to their car, road, etc.? The amount of people that start a program that are full of motivation, get a reality check as soon as they hit their first roadblock (fat loss has halted, hit a plateau on training, hit palate fatigue by eating the same chicken and broccoli for 3 weeks, etc.)

The biggest mistake is people start their new programs by going too hard in intensity with their training and diet and they do not give their bodies the ability to adapt and evolve with the new demands. ***How do you fix this?

First step is understanding you hit that roadblock, but that you can get right back on and continue to achieve your goals. The most important attributes at this stage are focusing on your small daily habits which I call, “The big rocks” (sleep, stress level, daily movement). You cannot out-train and eat a super clean diet if you do not control the variables you can control. –

Second step is making sure you take a step back from your training volume and diet and dial it back down to MANAGEABLE pieces. Example: in my experience, my clients have received the best results when they implemented an effective strength training routine which consisted of an Upper/Lower Body Split 2-3 times a week. (with them focusing on adequate sleep, daily movement, and proper nutritional intake) That is all you need in the initial phases of your new fitness routine.

Lastly, understand that your body needs time to recover and respond to the demands you are placing it under. Your new program should hold values of longevity, adaptability, and tangible training variables that strictly focus just on you. There is no sprinting in the early phases, focus on the small things and the big things will fall into place. People come from all fitness levels and their abilities are all different, but the big rocks need to be constant. Think of the big rocks as the north star; it will remain your foundation for success.

If you do become one of “The Motivators”, you might find yourself on the sore train and not having the reliable tools to see the goals you have wanted to achieve. Your body will always win in the end, and when you ignore your body’s signs and symptoms long enough, the last one ends in an injury. Listen to your body, train to your standards and level of ability, and give your body time to keep pushing.

Disclaimer: This is strictly educational format. If you want to start a new fitness program or diet routine consult with your medical doctor and get permission. You might be surprised by some unknown limitations, biomarkers you might need to complete prior.

Contact Krause Performance if you think you are ready to make the leap into achieving your next health and fitness goals. It is never too late to make some simple changes.