The return from vacation means a return to routine. Eating, working and exercising are just some of the areas in which we return to a certain regularity after the summer excesses.
A desired activity
As the expert reminds us, motivation increases with pleasure. “It's essential that you enjoy it and look forward to putting it into practice, and that time flies is the best indicator of success. Spending the course looking at the clock and calculating how much is left to finish indicates that you're not in the right place,” explains the expert.
In this sense, it can be essential to try out different disciplines if you opt for group classes or a specific activity.
Pay attention to frequency
Sticking to a schedule can be the key to creating a habit and sticking to it. Sara Álvarez is clear on this point: “I would always recommend starting with a minimum of 3 days a week, interspersed with a rest day, to allow the muscle to recover. Below this frequency, it's harder to create a good habit.”
In the short term, it's better
As the expert advises, “you need to start by setting yourself small weekly objectives, and not try to cover everything too quickly. In this sense, the figure of the personal trainer is essential”. Not feeling so overwhelmed allows you to move forward safely and efficiently.
Setting the agenda
You should block out the agenda and try to mark a fixed time in your daily routine for training. It will be easier for you and it will be easier for it to become a routine like any other.
“When you don't have a fixed time, exercise doesn't become a priority and most of the time it's relegated to ‘for later' and absorbed by other obligations,” advises Álvarez.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism shows that exercising before breakfast is the best way to multiply health benefits, not least because you burn more fat than if you exercise after the first meal of the day.
The 48-day deadline
Forget the 21-day law. “In the case of physical exercise, it's 48 to 66 or 8 to 10 weeks that you need to train for sport to become an essential part of your life and see results that motivate you even more. This is precisely what the RETO48 methodology offers”, explains the expert.
Professional advice
“Only they will be able to make an objective assessment and draw up a personalized action plan based on your objectives, so that results can be appreciated as quickly as possible. The latter is essential to maintain motivation in the early stages,” concludes Sara Álvarez.
