I train a lot of moms. When I meet them and ask how they would like to reach their physical goals, these are the sorts of answers I nearly always get: "I'm going to kill myself in the gym!" or "I'm going to work so hard!" or "I'll diet until I drop if that's what it takes!" Very rarely is there any sort of sane-sounding middle ground. All or nothing is typical, as is burnout and disappointment. They always expect me to be the drill sergeant, and are surprised--and eventually delighted--that I don't do that. Working too hard There is a reason that the gyms are always empty by February. I'm going to give you my theory behind it. It is because people rush in work themselves too hard, and literally work themselves out...out of their goals. Out of their gyms. Back into their busy lives, but without the confidence and security that feeling good (and looking good) can bring. The reason why most fitness programs fail is because they force us to butt up against our limits continually. The more often we work at the edges of our limits, the slower those limits will expand. That's the key. Strength training, muscle gain, toning up, whatever you want to call it...it's all about progression. Progression slows and then stops if we push too hard, too often. I offer only anecdotal evidence for the above, but it is consistent with my own training and the results of the people I train. A few suggestions 1. Work within your limits and your limits will expand. The only thing that matters is progress. The only progress that is sustainable is progress that doesn't kill you and make you dread your time in the gym (or wherever you train). Those workouts that make you shiver in hindsight are called "training on the nerve." Avoid them whenever possible. I'll tell you how to replace them in a moment. 2. Don't expect immediate, massive progress and you won't be disappointed. 3. Try to train when you're happy, whenever possible. It matters. It really does. How To Measure Progress There are several ways to measure progress, or set "PRs" (personal records). Just for an example, let's take the pushup. Here are the various ways you could make progress: 1. More reps in a session If on Monday you did 35 pushups in 35 minutes, but today you did 36, that's progress. 2. More reps per set If on Monday you did 8 presses in a row, but today your longest set was 9, that's progress. 3. If you're using a weighted exercise, being able to do more weight than before is progress 4. Doing more reps in less time If on Monday you did 35 pushups in 35 minutes, but today you repeated that in 30 minutes, that's progress. If you measure your progress in these ways and avoid teeth-grinding, purple-faced effort, your progress will never stop. The key to progress is to do a little bit more, as often as you can, while staying as fresh as you can. Doesn't that sound better than going all-out for two weeks and then abandoning the plan altogether? If you have questions about this, please let me know. It works. I promise.
Article Source: http://www.bizymoms.com/expert-advice
Josh Hanagarne is the World's Strongest Librarian and big fan of moms. You can also visit him at The Strength Rules, where he writes about fitness and strength for women, and a whole lot more.