5 Reasons Why You Need A Fitness Plan

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, workouts, and money saving tips! Also, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!

---

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!

10 Tips to Stay Motivated for Your Workouts

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.

We all have those days where we don't want to exercise and the days where when we do make it to the gym our workouts are awful. It's okay - that's life! This is a lifestyle and we completely believe in the 80/20 rule with everything (it's how we've maintained this healthy lifestyle for over 5 years)! With that being said, we wanted to share some of our tips so that you can get the most out of your workouts!

Tips to Get Yourself to the Gym & Stay Motivated Once You Get There!

1. Schedule your workouts like you would a doctor's appointment - and keep them. At the beginning of the week take a few minutes to write down your schedule and your workouts. Remember to take at least 1-2 rest days per week. If you can't make a workout you have scheduled, don't beat yourself up about it. You can still remain active and do a short workout at home!
2. Have a workout plan! There's nothing worse than spending an hour on a cardio machine and then moving up and down the aisles of machines without a clear plan. I see it all the time in the gym! If you want to succeed with your fitness goals, you need a clear plan. Try one of ours - we have 4 week plans and 12 week plans. We even have plans just for runners! All of our plans outline exactly what to do each day (how many reps, sets, etc). You will reach your goals much faster with a plan!
3. Workout when you can. The best time of day to workout is whatever time you will do it! You will read articles about why morning workouts are better or why evening workouts are better but really the best time to workout is whatever time you can. It would be best to try and keep the same time each day but life happens!
4. Make it a habit. Believe me, I was not an athlete growing up (besides rec league cheering and softball) so I don't come from a background in sports but I actually like the gym now. I never thought I would say that! It might be hard for you at first but just keep going and stick to your plan until it becomes a habit!
5. Don't be afraid to mix up your days. On the days when you are really just dragging in the gym do the workout that you like the most. For example, my favorite is leg day so if I'm not feeling the gym that day I'll do legs because I like that workout. If I have to drag myself to the gym and put myself through a workout that I don't even like it won't be pretty! Do your least favorite workout on the days when you are feeling your best. It's okay to swap out days, just make sure that you are taking at least 2 rest days before you work that body part again and at least 1 full rest day per week.
6. Start playing your favorite playlist before your workout. Gear your mind up for the gym by listening to your playlist while getting ready for the gym. It will pump you up before you even get there! 
7. Complete all reps on each side before switching. Using this trick will make you finish all reps. For example, if you need to do 12 step-ups on each leg, complete 12 step-ups on the right leg before moving onto the left leg. If you try to do 6 and 6, and 6 and 6 again, you will probably quit after the first 6!
8. Find a workout that you like! There's nothing worse than going to the gym and dreading what you do. Of course, there are things that we think everyone should incorporate into their workouts like weights, cardio, and flexibility training but you can be creative with how you do these types of training. Don't like the treadmill? That's fine! Take a class as your cardio! Try one of our challenges and give one of our workouts a try. ;-)
9. Be flexible! Is your equipment taken? Try to do something in its place or skip it and come back to it at a later time. Don't get frustrated - there are alternates for almost everything! Instead of a barbell use dumbbells, bands, etc.
10. Stay motivated. This is hard, right? The title of this is 10 tips to stay motivated but one of the tips is to stay motivated! Yes, we meant to do that. You must find ways to stay motivated. We want you to become your own motivation instead of constantly searching for outside motivation. It's easier said than done but there are a few things you can do to make this happen. Record your workouts (again, our workout plans have a place for you to record everything!) so you can see how much stronger you are getting! Even if you can't tell a difference in a mirror, seeing how you improve in your workouts is a great motivator. Try to avoid using others looks as motivation because you could easily fall into a comparison trap (this post on 5 Reasons You Aren't Achieving Your Dream Body may help!).

We hope these tips help you reach your goals. Always remember, progress is progress - no matter how slow. Never give up!

Healthy Is Not "One Size Fits All"

This is something that I posted a few months ago in our FREE Healthy Living Challenge group but wanted to share it here as well. Honestly this is just a few rants from me. :-)

As we've mentioned many times previously, what works for one person might not work for you. What works for you this year might not work for you next year. Our bodies are always changing and we need to be flexible and learn to listen to our bodies. For example, some people might feel better with higher carbs and less fat and some people might feel better with lower carbs and higher fat. One isn't better than the other and one isn't "wrong"! Maybe your best friend did lose 20 pounds by cutting out carbs and instead started eating coconut oil, peanut butter, and bacon with each meal but if you tried the same thing you would end up eating an entire jar of peanut butter instead of one tablespoon. What do you think would be better? That you continue to eat a balanced diet, even if it is more carbs than her, or try to force yourself to eat the same way she does, knowing that you will over-indulge in those foods? Being healthy and fit is NOT one size fits all. You have to take the time to find out what works for you (be patient, this can be a long process!).

I also see way too often that people get hung up on "being perfect" or "being holistic" that they just give up and don't do anything. How does that make sense? You wanted to be perfect and/or holistic but you couldn't so you just gave up? Make small changes that add up over time to a HEALTHY lifestyle change...notice I didn't say perfect. As we mentioned in our Getting Started with Clean Eating post, we changed everything "overnight" but if you can't do that - that's okay! Just get started!

Keep in mind that you will be able to find anything you want online...on both sides of everything. Every day something new will kill you if you eat it - according to someone. YOU must find balance and find what works for YOU. This takes TIME. If it sounds good to be true it probably is. Only eat bananas all day, no fats, no carbs, only eat grapefruit, no protein? Seriously?! Just eat a balanced diet of HEALTHY food and LIVE YOUR LIFE. Don't get so hung up on every single detail. The details will ultimately drive you crazy.

Am I as lean as I once was? Nope. My priorities have changed - I now spend more time coaching others and I'm being pulled in a million different directions all the time. Is this an excuse? Not in my mind because I'm still in the gym 4-6 days a week and I still eat healthy and I AM STILL HEALTHY. Being lean doesn't equal being healthy. It takes A LOT of focus, time, and energy to be super lean. Honestly, I think the reason I've been successful is because I've been on this "fitness journey" for almost 4 years now and I've never tried to get a "bikini body". I did do a photo shoot but that wasn't my main motivator, I just wanted a healthy lifestyle - one where I could travel and hike and do all the things I love to the best of my ability. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a "bikini body" or whatever your goal is but there HAS TO BE SOMETHING MORE! There has to be something else driving you. What happens after you work for 3 months just to walk around in a bikini during the summer? What happens in the fall? You just go back to your old habits until March rolls around again? Is this the position you are in right now?

Interested in more? These posts may interest you: