Wondering How To Get In Shape?
An age old question that I get asked as a longtime personal trainer in South Austin, at least several times per week, by everyone from the the most diligent, and dedicated gym goer, and a little less frequently, by the fitness novice, is the question of how to get in shape. How one goes about getting in shape depends upon an enormous amount of factors. To start with, what kind of shape do you wish to get in to, and, of course, what kind of shape are you in now? Further consideration should also be paid to what kind of imbalances you may have, such as tightness’s, inflammations, shortness of connective tissue, and so on. Nutrition is another area you will need to concern yourself with, as if you don’t eat properly for the tasks which lie before you, including your body’s recovery periods, you won’t see the realization of your goals. How much cardiovascular work will you need? Will you primarily use free weights or machines at the gym? Will you be working with a qualified personal trainer? The list goes on and on.
If you’re wondering how to get in shape, a great place to start, of course, is at the beginning. In order to get anywhere, you must ascertain where it is that you wish to go. Are you looking to drop some body fat? Are you looking to add some muscle? Both? No matter what goal you have in mind, you must first identify them, and then, be realistic about the necessary time frame and work load it will take you to achieve your stated goals. Another important consideration, as previously mentioned, is to be realistic about where you are starting from. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in 3 months while adding on some muscles tone, frankly, it is not going to happen. If your goal, however, is to lose 15 pounds while adding some muscle in the same amount of time, that is a much more realistic and achievable goal.
No matter what your goals are, where you are starting from, and how much time you have allotted for your endeavor, nutrition is going to play a huge role in whether you will have a successful outcome, or if this will be a fruitless exercise in frustration. For example, if you are looking to lose some weight, it would be in your best interest to minimize your processed sugar intake. This means cutting out, or at least down on your soft drink consumption. It would also behoove you to consider replacing bad fats with good ones. An example of this would be to drop the chips and consider an avocado salad in it’s place. Losing the simple carbohydrates and replacing them with complex ones is also going to greatly increase your chances of success. Loading up on processed, starchy food is going to give a quick energy burst, but ultimately it’s just that. A burst as opposed to a slow burning, easily digested source of fuel, and one that isn’t as likely to make you retain as much water. Quality protein is another thing to think about. Muscles aren’t built without it, and there’s a lot of different kinds to choose from such as whey, egg, caseinate, soy, and so on. How much of all of the macronutrients you’ll need to consume on a daily basis, as well as at what time you need to ingest them, is something that is very important to consider.
As you can see, how to get in shape is a very individual thing. There are few sweeping statements and easy answers, but there are a few generalizations that are applicable. Is losing some fat your goal? If so, cardiovascular exercise, coupled with a sound nutrition plan is the answer to that riddle. That’s, of course, assuming you have normal blood sugar levels, normal thyroid function, etc. Another generalization that can be made, is if your question of how to get in shape revolves around gaining as much muscle as possible, that you will need to lift weights, usually 4 to 6 times per week, as well as have a very sound nutrition plan that is heavier on the protein than someone who is perhaps, simply looking to drop a few pounds.
How to get in shape for a specific sport is another matter altogether. Which sport and which position? How close are you to being in, for example, football shape, as you need to be? Are your necessary movements, such as lateral movements, for a tennis player, inhibited by tight iliotibial band muscles? In sport specific scenarios, nutrition is paramount. You won’t be a linebacker on 1400 calories per day, no matter the source.
If getting in shape to you means getting stronger without concerning yourself too much about changing your body’s composition, then you will still need to pay attention to your nutrition in order to have sufficient fuel for the workouts, and enough protein to generate muscle tissue in your recovery periods.
You will still need to make a plan, set your goals, establish a nutrition plan, draw up a workout schedule, as well as a workout, and most of all, stick with it once you have started. Nobody makes overnight transitions, for the better , nor for the worse. It takes time to make positive changes to your body, no matter what they are. So if you find yourself wondering how to get in shape, start at the beginning and put one foot in front of the other. Make a realistic plan, and stick with it no matter how daunting it may seem at times. Solid work yields solid results.
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