Fitness Don'ts

-Don’t obsess over the scale

Don’t get me wrong, I did this all the time when I was losing weight. I also very much still do. That doesn’t mean its good for you though. The scale is so so unreliable as well- to start with, we put on weight when we gain muscle and I am definitely gaining muscle at the moment with all the exercise. Our weight also fluctuates on our periods- and you almost always have water weight also. Basically, scales are pointless, futile, devlish beings that make us feel fat and shouldn’t exist. My recommendation? Don’t buy one.

https://www.healthline.com/health/weight-fluctuation#dietary-weight

-Don’t compare yourselves to others

Oh my goodness I am so guilty of this. Just the other day I ran a 10k and thought I was really fast- so I googled it and turns out compared to other runners I’m not very fast. These runners included Dina Asher Smith, the fastest sprinter in UK recorded history for women. Why on earth am I comparing myself to this athletic fitness beast?! Exactly, its pointless and shouldn’t be done- everyone is different and one persons 10k time cannot be compared to anothers, you can only compare with yourself.

This is also true aesthetically- Do not compare your body to other peoples as everyone is unique and everyones fitness journey is unique. I also am very guilty of this… so one of the things I’ve really noticed in weightloss is my bum and boobs have completed deflated and particularly near the beginning of my fitness I would compare my body to athletes who have been training for years and years- who have built up their glutes and upper body. Realistically, I’ve only been strength training for a few months. Much as I would like to, I’m not going to have super phatty glutes and super big boobies. Life is not that kind.

-Don’t criticize yourself for having one bad day

We are all human. We all make mistakes. I can’t tell you how many days I had during my weight loss journey where I couldn’t be bothered to exercise or ate about a billion calories. It happens.  I think what’s important is the way you look at that bad day mentally. Don’t hate yourself for it. Sometimes the best thing to do is to actually give in to cravings, have a bad day and then start afresh the next day. Either way however, don’t feel like you’re going to put all the weight back on/ lose all your muscles because you skipped a gym day or ate another helping of trifle.

One of my favourite phrases ever is life is for the living- and it really is so true, if you want more trifle-have more trifle!

-Don’t get to the point where you feel like you have to exercise

 This is something that I actually do really struggle with  (seriously, just ask my friends- they think I’m nutty occasionally)

I sometimes feel like exercise is a chore- that mundane part of your day that you HAVE to get to.  But it shouldn’t be. Exercise is there to be enjoyed, it’s there to keep you happy and healthy- and it’s there to love. It is not there to get obsessed over and worry about. It's not there for you to think, ooh, if I don't swim today I'll put on weight. Like I said I really struggle with this-  and it’s so sad and not at all what we want. If this happens my best advice would just be to:

a)take a few days off-let yourself miss it a bit

b)shake it up with different types of exercise- I did this and it really helped

c)remember WHY you exercise- get back to the roots of your exercise… I exercise cause it makes me feel good- and I had to re-tell that to my mind and my body!!

So obviously theres a billion more fitness 'Don'ts'- but these are just a few of my favourites. Key message- Love your body and love your exercise- life is there to enjoy!