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5 Reasons Why You Need A Fitness Plan

Workout Tips, EducationWhitney Carlson1 Comment
5 Reasons Why You Need A Fitness Plan | He and She Eat Clean

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I've seen it over and over again in the gym, people (mainly females but some males) will walk in the door and either hop on the cardio machine for an extended period of time and maybe throw in some ab moves at the end or they will go up and down the rows of machines without a clear purpose.

Yes, I think it is magnificent that they made it to the gym and applaud them for taking the first step but failing to have a plan when entering the gym can result in burnout from lack of results. As a certified personal trainer, I do think it is a good idea to have a few sessions so that you can learn where everything is and build a working base of exercises. However, I do not think that every person needs a personal trainer. If you are training for something specific or you need that accountability to get to the gym, by all means, hire a trainer! Make sure you do your homework and find one that aligns with your vision.

RELATED: 5 Things We Have Done to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle for 5+ Years

This isn't just limited to the gym though, I receive emails from people all the time that say they do workout videos at home or grab a random workout off the internet. Again, this is great but if you really want to see results you do need a workout plan to follow. Ever since I started living this lifestyle I've followed a plan, even as a trainer! I always follow one of our plans, switching it up along the way as I see fit. I had a trainer for about three months while I was preparing for a photo shoot but ever since then I've had my own set plans - which is ultimately why we released our first plan, the She Sweats 12-Week Transformation.

You may have even noticed that on our monthly challenges I state that you should also be following a workout plan, doing 5 push-ups per day or a 30 second plank isn't going to produce the results you are looking for without more substance.

So, below are my reasons why you need a plan to follow and I'm not even the "planning" personality.

5 Reasons Why You Need A Workout Plan

  1. Helps Prevent Under or Over Training - This is one of the most important reasons for having a workout plan. If you are just trying piece together different workouts or wandering around the gym, you could be training the same body part too close together or not enough. You may also be working out too long and/or doing too much cardio for your goals, etc. There's so many factors that can go into under or over training.
  2. Provides Structure - There's nothing worse than feeling like you are wasting time. Having a workout plan provides you with structure so that you aren't wondering what to do next or just reverting back to the ol' cardio equipment. Our workout plans tell you which exercise to do, how many reps, how many sets, etc. Everything is laid out for you.
  3. Provides Goals - A workout plan with a set number of weeks (such as a 4, 6, or 12 week workout plan like we have) provides you with an automatic goal - to complete the workout plan! You can even break it down further and look at it as a daily or weekly goal to complete all of the workouts.
  4. Provides a Checklist - If you are a person that loves to be able to "check" something off, you will LOVE a structured workout plan! It's like giving yourself a pat on the back each day you complete your workout.
  5. Prevents Burnout - As I mentioned before, not having a plan can and will lead to burnout. Sure, you might be tired of working out or might not be feeling the gym for a few days but if you keep moving forward you will see results. A well-structured workout plan will help prevent burnout because it should be changing every few weeks.

I can't speak for all the workout plans out there but I know that ours produces results and is structured so it takes the planning out of it for you. You are optimally training each body part in the most efficient way possible. We don't live in the gym and don't think that you should either!

Guess which workout plan works? The one you complete! You can't just do a workout plan for a few days or even for a few weeks and expect immediate results. You have to actually do the work to see the results - there is no magic pill!

31-Day HIIT Challenge

ChallengesWhitney Carlson4 Comments
31-Day Full Body HIIT Fitness Challenge | Full Body Workout | He and She Eat Clean

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I created this 31-Day HIIT Fitness Challenge as a way for me to get up and move each morning. I'm not a morning person and I don't workout in the morning but still want a way to start the day moving without a lot of commitment. I decided I would share it with you so you could do it along with me!

It will only take FOUR minutes each day (you can do it anytime). There are two cardio bursts listed for each day and you will do each for 30 seconds, twice (total of 4 minutes). You can do 30 seconds of the first burst + 30 seconds of the second burst and repeat or you can finish the first before moving onto the second - it's completely up to you!

This challenge was designed to be something that you do in addition to your normal workout (which is hopefully one of our workout plans!). We have 4, 6, and 12 week workout plans for all fitness levels!

Hopefully this will introduce you to new cardio moves that you can try. I love to incorporate cardio bursts during my workouts because it's a very effective way to burn fat! We outline exactly when to do cardio burst in our workout plans but they can also be used as part of your warm-up routine.

We explain some of the cardio bursts here and hope to have more videos posted soon. Make sure to follow us on Instagram so you don't miss it when we post!

NEW CHALLENGES

6-Week Vacation Challenge - Join in this fun and easy-to-follow challenge to develop healthy habits.

13 to Clean - This is a FREE eBook that will get you on the road to a healthier lifestyle in just 13 days. If you are confused about how to get started, what to eat, when to eat, or how much to eat this will help you! It also includes a FREE two week workout plan!

52 Fit Club - We're excited to announce the 52 Fit Club with Moms RUN This Town! This club is meant to give you a goal to work towards - trying 52 new fitness activities! We will offer various challenges you can participate in for ideas on how to “think outside the box” to stay fit.

31-Day Full Body HIIT Fitness Challenge | Full Body Workout | He and She Eat Clean

FREE 6-Week Vacation Challenge

ChallengesWhitney Carlson4 Comments
FREE 6-Week Vacation Challenge

WANT A FREE HIIT EBOOK?

Join our newsletter and get the instant download. We never spam you - we only bring you the best workouts and recipes each week! Click here to join now.

Note: We're on Snapchat now! You can find us under hesheeatclean. We will be posting more of our meals and money saving tips! Also, follow us on InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest!


Although we do live a healthy lifestyle year-round (see also: 5 Things We Have Done to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle for 5+ Years), it's always nice to have something to look forward to as a way to kick things up a notch. We are going to San Diego in six weeks so I figured I would share the little challenge that I created for myself. You can tailor this to your specific goals and I've outlined how I'm adjusting/adding to it below.

As I go through these next six weeks I'm actually going to be finishing up the remaining details on new workout plan we are releasing! Since it's not available yet, join me working out using one of our plans below! There might even be a prize for the best transformation in 6 weeks! Fill out this form to sign up for the challenge (you must be doing one of our workout plans to qualify for the prize). You can participate if you have already started one of our plans! This isn't one of our formal challenges - this is just for fun but still take your "before" photos!

Note: You can start this challenge at anytime! This is an on-going challenge that you can feel free to adjust to your schedule.

Below are the 4-week plans we have available:

You could also do 6 weeks of one of our longer term plans:

If you plan on taking on this challenge follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook so you don't miss anything!

Also read: 10 Tips to Stay Motivated for Your Workouts

Keep in mind that when you see 4X weight training and 3X cardio, that doesn't mean that you are working out seven days per week. You always need 1-2 rest days per week. So you could do cardio after your weight training or on the days you aren't weight training - just make sure to take your rest days!

Join us in our Healthy Living Challenge group on Facebook for more support!


Looking for a printable version of this challenge? We've got you covered! Join our newsletter and you will be taken to a black and white printable version right away! Grab the printable challenge here.

FREE 6-Week Vacation Challenge

Below is what I have been struggling with lately so I'm also adding these to my personal challenge:

  • Yoga 2X Per Week
  • Positive Self Talk
  • No Comparison
  • Track My Food + Workouts (we will be releasing a new workout plan soon!)
  • No Over-Eating Fats

Also read: 7 Tips to Slim Down for Your Next Big Event

6-Week Vacation Challenge | He and She Eat Clean