Stop Comparing Yourself with Others, and Reach Your OWN Goals

admin April 21, 2014 sports

No one can dispute that we often like to make comparisons between ourselves and others. In order to save time and money, many people use pre-made programs or believe hearsay from their brother-in-law who heard about a new fad diet or training program.

With all due respect to these well-intentioned people who know about an ant that lived to the ripe age of 104 by eating one banana a day and taking a 15 minutes walk after each meal, this kind of anecdotal evidence is not a valid argument. First of all, longevity does not necessarily mean good health, but most of all, we can’t make a universal rule out of one specific case. Also, nothing proves that walking after meals and a daily banana are the main reasons behind this extraordinary longevity.

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Instead of using a plan that seems to work for others, ask yourself the following questions:

Have I established all my objectives? No need to reflect any further if you don’t know. Ideally, they should be quantifiable or practical.
Have I decided how many times a week I am ready to work on these objectives? Keep in mind that you have to be consistent with your objectives. If they are ambitious, then so should be your efforts.
Have I decided how much time I am going to invest every time I work on my objectives? This kind of information is necessary if you want to plan a good, realistic schedule.
Have I established the possible obstacles that could hinder the realization of my project? If people would stop and think about this question to remedy any potential setbacks, they would have much more chances of standing the test of time, and regaining their figure…
Have I learned about the training techniques that will help me realize my objectives? Where did you get your information? Is it reliable? Are there any known contraindications? If you hesitate to answer any of these questions, then the answer is no.
Do I know anything about planning an exercise plan? Idem. By planning, we mean: how many times a week, how many weeks, when to increase poundage, choosing exercises, how much rest you should have between each set, number of sets, etc. Usually, all these elements should be determined by your objectives, and should not be left to chance.

Should I get help from a trainer?

We want to find the shortest path to reach our objectives. If you had a hard time answering the questions above, I strongly recommend that you get advice from a kinesiologist at the gym. Not only are they trained to guide you through the process that leads to success, they will also tell you the intensity you should aim for during your workouts. You will then know you have given all you’ve got, and you will increase your chances of reaching the expected results. We all have a certain potential, all we have to do is use it. Let the others do whatever they want, and apply the right plan of action for YOUR needs so that you can reach YOUR objectives! Think this over!

Xavier Jutras – Kinesiologist – Nautilus Plus
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