The Road to Success No matter where you are on your road to health and fitness it is important to have direction. Here at Vision Personal Training we call this direction your goal. Having a goal gives purpose to what you do and helps you feel motivated to constantly be the best version of yourself. However, as we travel down this road we can encounter all kinds of diversions, road blocks and red lights slowing your journey down. Being a member of a Vision Personal Training studio and seeing your trainer regularly is one of the best ways to keep you on track but what else can you do to accelerate your success? Here are some tips to help you stay on track with the goals you have set for yourself.
Set the Sat Nav (and trust it knows the best way to take you to where you want to go)
Have a clear route planned out to reach your destination. In your goal session you've gone through what you want to achieve and by when, you have worked out a training schedule and put together an eating plan. Following the guidance of this plan makes the journey as straight forward as it can be.
At Vision you have complete access to the Vision Virtual training (VVT) app and webpage so the navigation of your trip is done for you and all you need to do is follow it…… obediently!
Preparation- Now you've got your route planned make sure you have everything you need for the trip, you don't want to turn around half way through and have to start again because you rushed into it at the start. First of all, you must know it's not a quick trip so the more planning you put in the more you will get out. Having good company is essential so make sure you bring along supportive people for the ride. That may be your family, friends or colleagues or the supportive community at Vision, we'd love nothing more than to join you. Always have a healthy snack at hand, you never know when you might need it. Bring a camera and diary to record the journey, you've got a long trip ahead of you and it's great to have proof and memories of your success along the way. It is important to note a few things to leave behind too, you don't want to weigh your car down with unnecessary baggage.
Clean out the car, before you leave, of any crap you don't need including junk food, negativity, excuses, bad influences and past experiences. Maybe put a new air freshener in there too to start a fresh, you don't want the smell of old excuses lingering do you? Avoid escape roads with green light positivity. Swap 'I will try' with 'I will'. Simple language and self-talk can help change your mindset and attitude for success. Saying you'll 'try' is selling yourself short and giving yourself an orange light or escape road. Saying you 'will' is a significantly more powerful and confident statement and can eliminate these escape roads giving you green lights the whole way.
Drive past temptation- strengthening your will power is perhaps the most important strength training you can do. As you're on your road to your goal there will be all types of temptations; perhaps big billboards for fast food outlets. Every time you say no to these distractions your will power gets stronger. Saying 'yes' is weakening your will power and you'll be more susceptible of giving in next time as well. Remember those healthy snacks you placed in your bag before you left? This is a great time where the organisation at the start of your journey can combat temptation and lead to success. Accept that it won't always be easy, all skills are developed. Remember when you first started to drive how difficult it was and how much concentration and dedication it needed? The more you stick to something and practice it, the easier it gets.
Imagine this with your health and fitness journey, how much easier it will be to eat and exercise well when it becomes habit. If you have travelled this road before hopefully the route will seem familiar and you'll be able to get on track fast. If the journey is new to you, accept it may be out of your comfort zone but enjoy the new exciting challenge.
Stop, Revive, Survive- It is important to look after yourself during the trip, pace yourself and rest your body when it needs. Refill your engine with the best quality nutrition for you; you only get out what you put in. It is almost as important to rest and turn off your engine as it is to use it so make sure you are getting enough sleep and relaxation. Try to get out in nature or take up yoga and meditation to quieten the constant buzz of your mind. This can reduce any stress that the traffic around you may have brought on. There's a lot of road rage out there on the busy highway but practising these techniques will lead you to a quieter, less congested road.
The best part is the view at the end. You've heard it before and it is very true; the view from the top is worth it. Yes, the journey can feel like an up-hill battle, you might have hit every red light, had a breakdown or two, you will have no doubt passed people along the way who have turned around and gone home but the satisfaction and fulfilment you get at the end is the best reward you could ever ask for. So rewarding in fact that while you are standing on the summit you may just see another road ahead in the distance and want to start planning your next journey!
Natalie Luxton.
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
