There are many crazy ideas around being fit and healthy. Just as there is a lot of good information out there on how you can be fit and healthy, there are also a lot of myths. These myths can actually slow down or stop your fitness progress.
Recently, I was lucky enough to speak with Christine Suter, a Personal Trainer at C2Sky Multisport. Christine shared her top tips on how you can stay fit and healthy (and avoid those fitness myths!)
Biggest myths around getting fit: That it is easy and you don't have to make other changes to your life except go workout in the gym more.
People who are successful at getting stronger and fitter commit themselves to this goal and make sacrifices to get there. They are also consistent with their training and make it a priority in their life.
Many people will not make sacrifices like having to get up earlier, or going to the gym after work when they are tired or come up with excuses like the house is dirty or I have no time, the kids needed me- but the excuses do not happen just once they are constant.
Life is always going to happen and we must adapt to emergencies like sick kids, working late, a project deadline- but it is how we deal with these things that is important. We recognize them as a potential roadblock and then we come up with a strategy to overcome them.
How does your mental and emotional well-being play a role in being fit? Great question!
What do you say to yourself: before you go to the gym or for a workout, when you are at the gym, when you look at a fitness magazine, or when you look at yourself in the mirror?
Do you believe that you can achieve the goal that you have set out for yourself? Can you visualize you are being fitter and stronger, what does it look like, feel like and what are other people saying to you.
So many client and athletes I have worked with, talk negative about themselves and their accomplishments. What you say to yourself has an impact on your self-confidence, which is the belief in your abilities to accomplish something.
We need to start to be aware of what we say to ourselves. With this awareness we can start to challenge our negative thoughts through different performance enhancing techniques like positive self-talk, thought stoppage and reframing.
In cognitive behaviour therapy individuals are educated on how their thoughts affect their feelings which affects their behaviour. If you are saying to yourself, "I am fat and ugly", you will probably be feeling depressed, and your behaviour may be to do something that comforts you like curling up on the couch with a book, or eating something maybe not that healthy, but you are probably not wanting to put yourself into your gym clothes and march out the door to the gym.
Best steps a person can take to improve fitness: Take action!! Do something instead of talking about it. Find out what you enjoy doing and start with that. If you need someone else to motivate you find a training buddy to workout with or join a fitness class where someone structures the workout for you.
I think some people think they need to work out for hours but 10mins is better than nothing. If you do not have enough time to drive to the gym and do everything else do what I do- pick 4 or 5 exercises do each one for 1min and take 1min rest (if needed) after completing all exercises and do this 3,4,5x or more!
I do things that I don't need any equipment for like- jumping jacks, high knee running or marching, push ups, sit ups, air squats, lunges, plank holds, single leg squats onto a chair- I usually need a shower after a good 20min workout!
Climb the stairs in your office or at home; One of my clients walks the stairs in her office 2 or 3 times extra during her workday- she is 68!
I am going to use these helpful tips that Christine provided, if you have any fitness questions, please let me know and I will do my best to find the answers for you.
Your suggestions are always welcome as I continue on my journey to enjoy life to the fullest. Let's have the very best 2016!
Visit Sacha daily at SachaD.com
Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook