Written by: Meghan Jarvis, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
These four tips will help supercharge your body for your next workout on the treadmill, the track, or the stairs at work.
1. Start with Your Affirmations (Your fitness is just like your business)
Here are three great affirmations we provide our leadership team going into their wellness program, and they recite to themselves every day:
I expect to do well. I deserve to do well.
One of the problems many people have in common is low expectations. They don't expect the best; they don't expect to succeed. Maybe they set a high goal but expect only to make it halfway there. Some claim having low expectations saves them from disappointment, but they're only holding themselves back. There is an area of wellness for everyone, choose/find one you expect to do well in!
I will not care what other people think.
Fear of people judging you based on your fitness level or techniques because you're a leader is another major obstacle to success. If you're scared about what other people think, starting that business, training to make it into the NFL, or changing careers in your 50s will be highly challenging. You might not even pursue your goal due to the fear of other people's thoughts. Stop caring what other people think about achieving your wellness goals, and be yourself.
I can't do everything today, but I can take one small step.
In the world of distractions and quickly evolving technology, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. When you set a wellness goal, there seems to be too much to do to accomplish it. Just take it one day at a time, one task at a time, and you'll reach your goal. When you feel overwhelmed, you seek out distractions like social media and other forms of entertainment, which will not bring you closer to living the successful life you envision.
Success affirmations help change what you believe at a subconscious level. When you tell yourself something so many times, you eventually begin to believe it. When you start believing, you then start working and becoming focused on accomplishing those goals that you have set for yourself. Repeat these three affirmations daily to get started on seeing more fitness in your life. It all starts with positive self-talk.
2. Exercise Daily
Exercise daily for at least an hour. You do not have to kill yourself by running, jogging, etc., but you should have some sort of moderate physical activity in your everyday life. If you're looking to shed a few pounds fast, do a higher-level intensity workout. For example, go on a walk at a brisk pace for an hour. Or, you can jog and set certain intervals to sprint during that hour. Make sure you're not in severe pain during your workout. Just a warning, your muscles will ache after a high-intensity workout. It may be irritating, but that means your body is changing for the better.
Be sure to stay hydrated, stretch, and eat foods with a decent amount of protein after each workout. The protein will help keep your muscles, not fat, rebuilding.
Utilize a wearable to track your results, and if consistency is an issue, look into getting a fitness coach for accountability and simplicity.
3. Cross-train
Professional athletes treat their bodies very well. That doesn't just mean getting regular massages to loosen tight muscles (but go for it!)—it's about knowing your body, understanding what your sport does to it, and making sure to strengthen and stretch the right muscles to keep yourself in balance.
Consult a physiotherapist or coach about the stretches you need to do regularly, or even sign up for a private yoga session to get a tailored routine.
As for cross-training, every sport has complementary activities. For example, high-impact athletes can benefit from a regular spinning session to give their joints a break, whereas swimmers should make sure to get in some weight-bearing routines to strengthen bones.
4. Maintain a Healthy Diet Overall
When thinking about exercise nutrition, focusing on what you eat or drink right before or after your workouts is easy. But the rest of the day matters just as much.
Diet is one of the little things that, over time, can significantly impact an athlete's health and performance. Like a car, putting in the best fuel will help lead to good performance. Regarding diet, the same principles apply to moderate exercisers and professional athletes. This includes eating high-quality carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; lean protein sources, such as lean cuts of meat, poultry, low-fat milk, and beans; and healthy fats from sources like nuts, olive oil, and avocados. This pattern will ensure they get the macronutrients they need for fuel and to support muscle mass, as well as micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals.
From protein to carbs, learn to boost your workouts by fuelling your body as professional athletes do.
Even if you never compete in the Olympics or the Major Leagues, you can still maximize your workouts by fuelling your body correctly. This will give you more energy during exercise, improve your performance, and help you feel better throughout the day.
5. Hydrate the Right Way
Most people sweat during exercise. How much depends on the intensity of the workout, the environment, and even the athlete's genes. Drinking enough fluids before, during, and after exercise will keep you from dehydrating.
"The best way to determine hydration needs for all athletes is to monitor body weight changes from before to after exercise," says Kimberly Stein, PhD., a senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI).
Weigh yourself before and after your workouts. If you've lost weight, the next time you exercise, drink an additional 16 ounces of fluids for each pound lost. If you gained weight, you might be able to cut back a little on fluids.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests drinking fluids at least four hours before your workout. That can reduce the need to guzzle water while exercising, which can upset your stomach. Sports outlets sell various sports drinks that include ingredients such as fast-acting sugars and electrolytes like potassium and sodium. For moderate exercisers, however, sometimes simple is best. "For most fitness athletes, drinking water is fine," says Stein. "If they have a high sweat rate, notice salt on their skin and clothes after a workout, or have cramping issues, they may consider a beverage with sodium."
6. Push yourself
When was the last time you gave that much of yourself to your sport? Don't do it all the time—you'll be asking for injury—but once in a while, see how hard you can go when the moment is right, and you're perfectly warmed up.
7. Be Sure to Get Sleep
Even though most of us have eight-hour jobs during the day or night, it is crucial to get enough sleep to recharge the body's batteries. Six to eight hours of sleep will keep the body going throughout the day, but if you feel tired after coming home from work, take a small nap before exercising. You should only nap for about a half hour. This will prevent you from staying up later in the night.
8. Stay Motivated
An essential key to being in shape is to set goals and keep a positive mindset. If you stay positive, you can push yourself to get that fit body you've always wanted.
As a leader, you are required to look after your body as a temple and take care of your wellness as your life, work, and stress levels like they depend on because they do!
Meghan Jarvis, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
A former World Class BMX bicycle racer, Meghan came to Australia to play professional basketball and stayed as a lead lecturer at the Australian Institute of Fitness. Meghan's passion for fitness and entrepreneurialism led her to found WellCorp Health and Wellness and Buzvil, a global health and fitness app. She most recently appeared as an actor and stunt woman in the new Blockbuster 'Elvis', the Portable Door, Aqua Man and has been a 'Ninja' on Channel Nine's Australian Ninja Warrior. She is also the head of Total Gym Fitness Equipment Australia, Suspension Training and Altitude Training International Master Coach, making her an authority on peak performance and an international speaker. Her experiences as an athlete, educational portfolio (Masters of Education and Coaching Science, Kinesiologist, Sports Scientist), entrepreneurial ventures, and enthusiastic character have shaped her as a formidable leader in health and fitness. She believes strongly in the importance of redefining and bridging the gap between physical and mental health. Meghan has guided many people to achieve complete personal breakthroughs and phenomenal mind, body, and business growth.
