Every time we step in the gym, hit the trail or try out a new exercise, we're not just training our bodies - we're gathering wisdom. 

As I reflect on my last fitness journey, I realise it wasn't just about building strength or shedding pounds; it was about discovering what works, what doesn't, and what truly matters in the long run. Sure social media is filled with fancy quotes and snippets of wisdom but its only by making the journey yourself in how you can discover how these apply to you.

Here are the lessons I learned last time that are shaping how I approach fitness today.

Honesty

First off, no bullshit, be honest with yourself. Where are you right now?  How do you feel about where you are right now?

For me this meant facing the music and realising that I'd drank a lot of beer since my peak sporting days by getting on the scales seeing I'd put on 3 stone then going for a jog to find I was blowing out my arse after a mile or so. 

Whatever you're thinking and feeling, take it all in. 

This is important so that you can look back on yourself in time to see if you're going in the right direction. If something isn't working, changes can be made but if you don't know where it is you are starting from then you'll have no idea whether you're making any progress towards you're goals or if what you're doing is working. The more honest you are with yourself right now, the easier it will be to know what you have to do and whether or not its working. As your journey progresses you will think back to this day and hopefully feel a sense of pride and achievement in how you've progressed.

With that out the way the next step is..

Set Clear Goals

You've been honest with yourself now its time to make a change. Establish what goals you want to achieve. Mine was to lose 10kg, get to 15 pull ups + dips and run 5 miles.

There are many fancy acronyms and ways to set goals but lets keep it simple. 

Have the goal in mind and workout how far away you are. If you're nowhere near then break it down into smaller steps to reach the end goal. Simple.

For example, if you want to lose 10kg of body fat, get on the scales and see what the scales say. The scales don't lie and unless you can honestly say you've really been lifting iron and packed on some muscle mass  then I'm sorry to say it but yes, its probably fat. In this case 0.5 - 1kg  lost per per week is likely to take 10-20 weeks. Smaller steps to reach the end goal, job done. We all know what to do but its so simple we forget.

Knowing where you are in relation to your goals is important to making the right changes.  

You can't expect to be squatting 200kg if you've never touched a weight or running a sub 3 hour marathon if you've been sat on your arse for 12 months. If your goals too big and you don't break it down into smaller goals, your either going to fuck it off after a week or two or end up injuring yourself trying to do things you aren't yet ready for.

Being honest and learning to set clear attainable goals were the first two lessons that although common knowledge can simply be overlooked. It wasn't until a bit further on into my journey that I realised that these two lessons could be incorporated into a larger mindset which brings me to...


Kaizen 

A Japanese term meaning 'change for the better' or 'continuous improvement' that emphasises gradual, incremental progress over time that leads to long lasting improvements.

Kaizen focuses on small changes that are easier to stick with that accumulate to make a greater change than any one single drastic change can make.  

If there is one idea or philosophy that can be applied not just to fitness but all aspects of life its Kaizen. I'll dedicate a post purely to the idea of Kaizen but structuring my training around the idea of Kaizen was a game changer compared to conventional fitness advice. For me just by swapping one food at a time out my diet was key to staying motivated and making the changes stick over time. By getting in the mindset of Kaizen I no longer had that all or nothing attitude to training which massively helped in avoiding injuries and not getting stuck on setbacks. 

Above all else...

ACTION

Without raw action no new lessons can be learned or applied. 

Like a snowball, hard to get started but once it gets going it accumulates and gets larger and larger. Once moving it takes shape and gains momentum, the same applies fitness. Whether it be self doubt, a negative mindset or just the boredom of mundane life, just get off your arse and make that start. No matter how bad or small you think it is, the rest will take care of its self! 


To Summarise

  • Be honest with where you are and how far away you are to your goals.
  • Break the goals down into smaller easy steps to reach the end goal.
  • Remember Kaizen, nothing big will happen overnight.
  • Just make a start !