Buddying up helps us stay focused on our fitness journeys.
PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Losing fat and gaining muscle can be a tall order, for sure. Many of us put in the time and effort, but see very slow progress. The whole thing can feel very disheartening at first.
Here to Play spoke with two physical trainers, who emphasise that working smart is just as important as working hard as we work towards our fitness goals.
Below are some vital principles that many newcomers overlook. If you can manage to cultivate some of these good habits, you might just start seeing those breakthroughs you are looking for.
Showing up is half the battle won
You’ve made that resolution and signed up for that gym membership, but dragging yourself to the gym can be harder than the workout itself.
“Keep showing up! The more work you put in, it all adds up to more results,” encourages personal trainer and online coach Danie Dharma, a former Mr Singapore winner, who has clinched many gold medals in international bodybuilding competitions.
“After you achieve your dream body, you will never look back or regret showing up and clocking in those workouts,” said Danie, who has helped clients from all walks of life attain their fitness goals. “You have nothing to lose but fat.”
Managing your schedule so that you have time for regular exercise is half the battle, and incentivising yourself also helps! Give yourself a reward after each session — preferably a healthy snack or non-food-related prize. Visualising yourself achieving your dream body helps a lot too.
So you’re dieting, but are you eating enough?
“Make sure you meet your daily protein requirements,” advises Danie.
While most people try to consume less calories, it’s important to know how much to eat and eating sufficiently is very important. Our bodies need protein and a variety of other nutrients for refuelling, repair and recovery, especially after exercise.
“Do the math. You can use apps to calculate the macronutrients in your food,” said Danie. “Every day, we need to eat one gram of protein for every pound of our bodyweight.”
If you exercise but eat too little, you might burn muscle instead of gain muscle. On top of this, our sore muscles take longer to heal and might not be strong enough to carry out your next day’s workout.
Kilogrammes don’t tell the full story
“Don’t be too focussed on scale weight,” Danie points out. “Your weight as told by the weighing scale might not change much when you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.”
“Consider your measurements instead, especially decreases in your waistline, ” he adds. “Changes in the amount of fat and muscle at various parts of your body are better indicators of your progress than your total body mass.”
You can even calculate your own body fat and track your own progress using the ‘skinfold test’ and formula.
Eating right is more important than eating less.
PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Friends help you maintain good habits
“If you’re finding it hard to work out alone and struggle with motivation and discipline to keep at it, get an accountability buddy — someone who can help keep you on the right track towards your goals and plans. Likewise, you’ll help motivate your buddy,” said Leona Hui, a physical trainer and champion boxer. Hui represented Singapore at the 2015 and 2019 SEA Games and conducts private and group training sessions at Legends Fight Sport and Still Boxing.
“When someone else is able to hold us accountable for our actions, we tend to make more of an effort to be responsible,” adds Hui. “Build small consistent habits that are achievable for you. For some people, it might mean just setting a target of drinking a litre of water more each day. For others, it might mean spending an hour a day working out. When you have consistency and control over these small positive lifestyle habits, they soon become an integral part of your life and you can progressively build even better habits upon them. Always remember to make time for you.”
Get enough rest
Are you sleeping enough? Sleep is one of the most overlooked aspects of a positive fitness lifestyle, but one of the most important — yes, we know you’ve heard that before, but it needs to be said again.
“One of the best ways of helping your body fully recover and reducing the stress we place on ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally everyday, is to get good quality deep sleep,” said Hui.
Besides tissue repair and stress relief, getting sufficient sleep also boosts our immunity, improves mood and productivity, reduces risk of chronic ailments and gives us the energy and mental alertness we need for exercise.
If you’re looking for a new and inspiring place to exercise, come over to Singapore Sports Hub! Besides a comprehensive gym, this multifaceted venue has many different kinds of sports facilities available to the public. Enjoy games at outdoor and indoor courts, a low-impact workout at the outdoor exercise corner, a scenic run around the 100PLUS Promenade and Stadium Riverside Walk, or a swim in the OCBC Aquatic Centre!
