22 Thoughts on Fitness for 2022
January serves as a time where I like to sit back and see what comes up in the fitness and nutrition world(s)… what questions get asked, and what curiosity shows up among my group of online coaching clients and friends.
I LOVE client questions (and reader questions!), as you know from past articles like this one or this one...they really help get the wheels turning.
Since there tends to be a lot of common themes, I wanted to write down a list of 22 thoughts surrounding fitness and nutrition that tend to answer a lot of these questions. Some of these thoughts are future predictions for 2022, some might feel like I am beating a dead horse (but definitely worth repeating). All in all, I think this list will help get your gears turning.
And hey, if they spark a question, smash this link and ask it. I answer every email!
If you started a fitness program for the first time last month, that's f*ing awesome.
If you are struggling with fitness program after 4 weeks, please ask yourself if the program fits your current lifestyle.
Your fitness program should compliment your life, not flip it upside down.
Re-read number 3 and switch the word 'fitness' with 'nutrition'.
With nutrition, I have seen my clients have continual success by making small changes over the course of weeks and months, not an all-or-nothing from the start.
With nutrition and fitness, the hardest part is keeping your goal, 'the goal', for a sustained length of time.
It's important to take breaks from structured programming, but not for at least 4-6 months.
Seriously, you can't be intuitive without having been intentional, for at least 4-6 months.
My wish for you in 2022 is to not sacrifice long-term success for instant gratification. It's hard to combat the instant feelings, but man, it's worth it in the long-term.
Strength training goals can be accomplish in sessions that are as short as 20 minutes. Seriously.
Your training session length has zero indicator of success.
Hopefully points 11 and 12 help you accomplish points 2 and 3.
In all honesty, I would love to see clients get three to five 30-minute sessions a week that are 'easy' than three 60-minute sessions that are a challenge to make happen.
The every-day person will achieve 80% of their goals doing the same movements 80% of the time.
Just because those movements are the same 80% of the time, you should change the way they are performed (sets/reps/tempo) every 4ish weeks. In 2022 I would like you to understand that.
On the topic of strength training, 1x20 workouts are CRIMINALLY underrated. 1x20 workouts are typically 10-or-so movements that you perform for 1 set of 20 reps. It's an awesome way to get a lot of work done, train a lot of movements and muscle groups, and not eat up your entire day.
As a new parent (again), 1x20 gets it done and really fits my lifestyle needs right now.
The other thing that makes my training fit well right now is doing warm ups on a timer. Set 5 minutes, pick 3-5 moves, and rotate through them for 5 continuous minutes. Efficiency wins. Knowing when your 'done' also helps...
What works for me, might not work for you. That's okay. It's really important for your training to be individualized for you.
Read that sentence back and change the word 'me' for 'your friend'. I'm finding a lot of people say that their friend had success doing _____ so they want to. Maybe you will have the same success, maybe not. Refer back to point number 2 and point number 18.
Last point magic. If you're looking for a way to get started right now, I would seriously encourage you do fill out the Action Map on my Start Here program. You can find that program by clicking here. Contrary to popular belief, the 'secret sauce' to fitness success is not working out, rather, it is mapping out expectations and creating entry points to take action.
How did you like this list format? I find them fun to write and thought provoking along the way. Do you want me to run with this format for a while? Want me to cover any topics in particular? Throw a comment below and let me know!
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