Tips + Reminders

What works for one person might not work for you and that’s okay! Your fitness journey is gonna be a bit of a trial and error process of trying new things to see what works and what doesn’t. We are all beautifully unique and honestly I believe that the fun part of a journey isn’t just the destination but the actual journey itself! In the end it all comes down to what feels good for YOU and what makes exercise fun and enjoyable. Take inspiration from other people, but don’t try to replicate exactly what other people are doing in order to look like them.

Buckle up, I’ve got a lot to say here because this is where the magic happens! Progressive overload can happen in many different aspects of your fitness journey and it is crucial if you wish to see progress throughout.

The most common way you may see progressive overload is increasing your weights during workouts, however, there are plenty of ways to implement this tool! Simply put, progressive overload just means gradually increasing the demand on your muscles over time. It can range from doing a couple more reps than you normally do or adding an extra 3 minutes onto your evening walk.

Some ways to introduce progressive overload into your workouts:

1. Adding a couple more reps to your sets

2. Using tempo and time under tension (TUT)

   • Tempo boils down to the speed at which you complete your reps and it allows you to make the exercises you normally do more challenging. It is typically written as 4 numbers (ex/ 3:1:1:0 → 3 = lower weight for 3 seconds, 1 = pause for 1 second at the bottom, 1 = lift weight for 1 second, 0 = no pause at the top)

   • Tempo increases TUT

     • Slowing down the lowering phase of an exercise keeps your muscles working for longer (ex/ 10 squats at a 1-second lowering = around 20seconds of work or 10 squats at a 4-second lowering = around 50seconds of work

     • More time under tension = more stimulants for muscle growth

   • Tempo can make lighter weights feel heavier

     • You aren’t always going to have a huge range of weights to pick from and adjusting your tempo can allow even light weights to contribute to progressive overload. Slowing down the lowering portion and adding a pause can make even light weights feel challenging!

   • Tempo can increase technique and refine form before jumping to a heavier weight

     • If you try to move on to a heavier weight but you feel like your form could still use some work I would always recommend to drop the weight back down and work on tempo within that previous weight range. Increasing weights with bad form is not progressive overload! It is just a recipe for injury and pain. Slowing your tempo forces you to control the movement and reduce momentum. This allows you to improve mind muscle connection, reinforce proper form, and reduce “cheating” that comes with momentum.

3. Increasing your training volume

   • Adding an extra set or round to your workout adds more challenge to your muscles while maintaining the same weight/resistance

   • If recovery allows, you can also add an extra training day into your week!

4. Improving range of motion

   • If you’re new to working out, you may find that you can’t get into a deep squat or stretch low into your Romanian dead lift position and that is completely okay! Consistently showing up for yourself and completing these exercises will help bring more mobility into these joints and with that increased mobility comes progressive overload! Improved range of motion will challenge your muscles more effectively.

5. Choose a more challenging variation

   • Progressing to a more advanced version of the exercise you’re doing will introduce progressive overload! (Ex/ wall push-up, incline push-up, floor push-up)

Big transformations are the result of small actions repeated consistently. You don’t need to completely change your life overnight in order to reach your goals. Small, sustainable progress is going to be your best friend.

Ways to use small progress to create big changes on your wellness journey

• Adding a couple extra minutes to your walks

  • Maybe you have a goal of getting outside and walking more, but the idea of going out for an hour is daunting and doesn’t seem feasible to you. Try going out for 10 minutes 3x/week for one week, then the next week you try 15 minutes 3x/week and keep adding on from there, maybe it’s a fourth day or another 5 minutes onto each walk. Small consistent changes create lasting results. You don’t need to go from 0-100! That tends to only lead to burnout and inconsistency.

• Starting with 10-15 minute workouts

  • Anything is better than nothing. If the thought of doing an hour workout makes you not do it or dread it, do a 10 or 15 minute one. This helps to take away any resistance or excuses you may feel when introducing a new aspect into your routine. Like I said before, endorphins and eCBs get released into the body after just 5-10 minutes of exercise! So that 10-15 minute workouts can already boost your mood and ease your stress.

  • From that point, it can become similar to my previous point about walking. Maybe you add an extra 5 minutes on your workouts and do 15-20 minutes or you can add an extra day of doing your 10-15 minutes, either or, you’re progressing.

• Practice 5 minutes of mindfulness

  • Your mindfulness practice can be anything that makes you feel good and present in the moment. It could be a gratitude journal, mind dump, meditation, affirmations, eating without distraction, or walking and listening to nature. Even just 5 minutes of mindfulness can build resilience and reduce stress.

• Prep one healthy meal or snack

  • This allows you to make healthier choices that support your mind and body when life gets busy.

  • I’m a big fan of chia pudding or overnight oats lately! It’s so easy to prep the night before and have for breakfast the next day and it is loaded with nutrients :). You could even prep smoothie bags in your freezer that you can just toss in the blender whenever you need a quick meal or snack!

• Call or text someone you love

  • Sometimes all we need to know is that someone is there to listen or talk to when we need them. If you’re ever thinking of someone, tell them. Send them a text or make some time to give them a call. Social connection is a huge pillar of wellness that, I think, can sometimes get overlooked. Humans are wired for connection and community and the quality of the relationships in our life can have an impact on our physical and mental health.

  • Ways social connection supports your wellness:

    • Improves mental health by increasing feelings of belonging, happiness and purpose. Simply texting or calling someone you trust and love can make a heavy day feel lighter

    • Supports physical health by lowering stress hormones, increasing longevity, improving heart health, and much more! Feeling connected allows our body to feel calmer and more resilient.

    • Encourages healthy habits when surrounded by supportive people. Maybe you go for a walk or play some pickleball with a friend. When we don’t feel like we’re alone our healthy habits feel easier.

I would highly encourage you to rely on internal motivations throughout your journey rather than external motivations.

Internal motivations - personal enjoyment, purpose, growth

• Working out because you like the way it makes you feel

• Working out to feel stronger and healthier

External motivation - rewards, money, environment, other people

• Working out for a vacation coming up

• Working out to win a challenge

In the long run, internal motivations are the only ones that are going to be there no matter what. External motivations can be taken away just as easily as they show up. Don’t get me wrong, external motivations can be a great way to start out, but in order to create a healthy lasting lifestyle we need to dig a bit deeper to find our internal reasons for what we’re doing.

Motivation is a fleeting feeling. It won’t always be there for you to rely on. For longevity in your journey it’s best to shift your focus over to discipline/devotion.

I prefer using the term devotion over discipline but it is completely up to you and what you like. Devotion to me just feels more graceful and connected, rather than discipline which can feel more forced and aggressive. Devotion is a way to show up for yourself no matter what because you know what makes you feel good (and you deserve to feel good!). This could be a walk, run, bike, swimming, Pilates, anything you desire! This will take time, but devotion/discipline is like a muscle, you can train it to be strong and reliable. Eventually it will feel like second nature :)

We did discuss this one a bit in the workout page, but I believe it’s so important that I want to say it again!

Without consistency, you won’t be able to find all the beautiful, lifelong benefits that fitness can bring you.

Progress can be measured in so many different ways! It doesn’t have to be just about the scale or how your body looks. When you look at progress this way it can be hard to stay on your journey when things seem to plateau or fluctuate.

Some of my favourite ways to measure progress (mental and physical)

• How you feel after each workout

• Your confidence levels

• Seeing your strength progress

• Seeing your endurance progress

• Feeling more energized

• Maybe having more stable moods

• Your devotion/discipline grow