If you've been near a shopping centre this week, then there's a good chance you've witnessed the start of Christmas. As the Father's Day merch has been shuffled out, the retailers are preparing to milk us for all we're worth...
While there's no milking here, there is a little Christmas related poll below. If you could take a moment to select one option it would be greatly appreciated.
Preferred Daybreak Christmas Party date:
If your motivation for training is to stay fit and healthy as you get older, how do you know if you're doing enough? Here are some indicators to consider:
Physical Performance: Are you maintaining or improving strength, endurance, and flexibility?Recovery: Do you recover quickly from workouts, with good sleep and minimal soreness?Energy Levels: Are you generally energetic, not overly fatigued?
Body Composition: Are you maintaining or improving your muscle-to-fat ratio?
Consistency: Can you sustain your workout routine long-term?
Health Metrics: Is your heart rate, blood pressure, and other health markers stable?
Mental Well-being: Do you feel mentally sharp and emotionally balanced?
If you're progressing in these areas, you're likely on the right track. That's great! However, if there are areas where you feel you could see more improvement, perhaps some of the following ideas may be helpful:
Vary Your Routine: Incorporate different types of exercises (strength, cardio, flexibility) to challenge your body. Also consider increasing the intensity of your workouts if they've become too easy, or scaling back if you're constantly fatigued.
Focus on Recovery: Ensure you're taking enough rest days and improve sleep quality by maintaining a consistent schedule and creating a restful environment.
Nutrition: Ensure your diet supports your fitness goals, with adequate protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. And don't forget hydration! Water, water, water, and more water to offset any alcohol or caffeine (including black tea).
Track Your Progress: The mantra is setting clear, measurable goals, but if exercise is about lifestyle for you then this might not gel. You don't need to become a slave to a tracking app. Having a notebook (digital or otherwise) where you jot down how you're workouts felt on a weekly basis, taking into consideration the indicators at the top, will help you get a picture of how you're progressing.
Obviously, paying attention to your body is paramount. Exercising at 30 is different to exercising at 40 or 50 or 60 etc, and your training will need to be modified to account for that, but don't short sell yourself. If something doesn't feel right, ask Andy or Poppy for an alternative and consider whether a medical professional might be able to assist. Maintaining a full range of motion and the capacity to run and jump, bend and squat, and most importantly... get up off the ground... is so important.
Consistency and a good attitude will get you a long way, which is something you guys have in spades. Keep up the good work!
Poppy will be in taking the Saturday session this week. Have a fabulous weekend.
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