Using the Eid break to reset your focus and get back to it

Often at times we get swept up in the notion of “more is better”… especially when it comes to exercise and nutrition. 

You are probably thinking… “if I train for 5 hours a week… then if I train for 10 hours then I’ll be even better.”

This is known as “the disease of more.”

Most people don’t realise, that the limiting factor when it comes to getting results is actually how well you can adapt to the training stimulus (stress) and recover from it – not actually doing more high intensity workouts = faster results. This is where so many people get it wrong (usually the ones who overtrain and get burnt out).

If you’re a beginner, then your ability to improve is relatively much greater then someone who has been at it for a longer period of time.

Beginner gains are magical! 

Increasing strength, skills and dropping body fat and body weight can be huge for beginners, even with small, controlled workouts. 

After 6 to 12 months, results can perceivably start to slow down and it’s human nature to want more.

It feels satisfying to improve and especially when friends and family notice and comment on your recent changes.

That type of feeling is motivating and addictive to want to keep those improvements going. 

However, without the right education, people can often go into habitual and counterproductive exercise and eating habits.

Increasing the total training load (frequency, duration, volume & intensity) without factoring in how they will adapt and recover. 

Getting up early to do an intense spin class (or a double!), going to the gym in your lunch break and pounding the treadmill before bed whilst eating very little over a period of time can lead to reductions in your performance and health.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not advocating meek and uninspired workouts… You still need to work and get your butt moving… But the key to success is being smart and calculated with your efforts. 

Work smarter, not necessarily harder.

Rather than take the “more is better” mentality.

Train hard but more sure you’re recovering harder..

Three basics that MUST be factored in to your improvement to get better results:

1. Sleep: Making sure you get adequate quality and duration.
2. Nutrition: Are you getting all your macro and micronutrient needs?
3. Increasing parasympathetic tone: Being in a rested and regenerative nervous system state. If you’re constantly stressed or worrying, then your ability to recover and maintain a healthy immune system gets compromised.

… so which area do you need the most help with? Did you know that sometimes poor sleep quality is due to a poor diet or eating too much right before bedtime? Could your nutrition do with a little kick-start and do you need to re-set your body after Eid?

…Cue the Ultimate Reset Challenge starting again on Sunday 9th August!

Getting back into it after the Eid break.

Eid break.