Dare I say, there could be a better way?
We are now into our 2nd week of the new year and if you are like many, you set a new years resolution to exercise and get fit. But did you know that the average resolution only lasts 32 days? You know what? I’m not surprised. For most of us we “go all in” right out the gate and over commit. We go from not doing anything – to saying “I’m going to the gym for an hour a day 5 days a week! I’m cutting out all sugar and carbs and trying Keto (or whatever the latest celebrity diet is”. And we do this, why? Because that’s what we’ve been conditioned to believe we need to do.
Then life gets in the way so we miss a few workouts. We start spreading ourselves too thin and then we miss a few more. We say yes to things we really don’t want to do so we reach for comfort foods to numb the pain. We find ourselves craving the foods we have restricted and going on a binge or two. Then we say F-it, give up, beat ourselves up for failing again, then shame and guilt ourselves for our lack of willpower and motivation
Then a year passes and we find ourselves looking at another new year around the corner, so we start making the same resolutions and taking the same action…..again. Wasn’t it Einstein that said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?”
So let’s break this down into small bite size chunks, starting first with the gym and those hour-long workouts that we commit to year after year. What if I told you you didn’t need to spend an hour at the gym? What if I told you that all you needed was 15 minutes a day? I know, I hear you. I said the same thing at first. Is it really possible to get fit and feel great in only 15 minutes a day and if so why the heck are we attending gym classes that last up to an hour? Stick with me, and I will explain.
Most experts agree, adults should perform at least 150 minutes of moderate – or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. That works out to 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, 5 days a week or 15 minutes of vigorous activity on those 5 days. And by vigorous activity they mean High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. So 15 minutes of HIIT per day is all you need – but you have to be going hard.
A 15 minute HIIT session causes the greatest amount of distress on muscle fibres in the shortest amount of time. And when this happens, your heart rate, oxygen uptake and hormonal release increases. What this means is you burn fat and build muscle faster ! And because the workouts are shorter there is also a greater amount of recovery time compared to an hour long moderate workout.
So, if you are like me, you are probably going WOW! 15 minutes can get me results like this. Well I’m not stopping there. Those are the physical benefits of a 15 minute workout but what if I told you that by shortening your workout to 15 minutes a day it’s also going to help you stay consistent – and by staying consistent you will be creating a habit?
If we want to see improvement and lasting change in our lives we need to create small consistent habits. And in order to create small consistent habits we need a plan. A 15 minute a day HIIT workout for 5 days a week is manageable and will increase the likelihood of you sticking with it and not petering out and throwing in the towel. Everytime you complete a 15 minute workout you get a boost. Positive change happens habit by habit – not overnight. It’s the small consistent habits that are going to keep you motivated and set you up for success.
As your life starts to hijack yet another new year’s resolution keep this information front and foremost moving forward. Oh, and don’t underestimate the power of a supportive community who are there to cheer you on. There is so much evidence out there that shows the benefit of surrounding yourself with like minded people who will walk the journey with you. But that’s a topic for another blog. So to wrap this all up, remember, 15 minutes is all you need. You have tried it the other way year after year….do yourself a favor and try 15 minutes a day for 30 days. You might surprise yourself and realize you had it in you all along 🙂
That’s all for this week. But not before throwing a challenge out to you. I want you to write or rewrite your goals and dreams for this year. Now I want you to pick one goal or dream from that list that you can start on this week. Just one…let’s start small. Once you have picked that one goal I want you to then make a list of things that you will need to do to achieve that goal. For example if your goal is to workout 3 days a week, what will you need to do to make that happen? Will it be to carve out 15 minutes at 6am Monday, Wednesday and Friday? Will it be putting your alarm in another room so you don’t hit the snooze button? Maybe you will need to find an accountability partner to keep you on track? Or how about rewarding yourself when you do stay on track each week? You are going to need a clear plan to help you achieve this goal. Hmmmm….that might be another topic for my next blog 🙂
