Lasting Health
Follow through on New Year’s resolutions: Trainer reveals tips
If you’re on the verge of throwing your fitness resolutions out the window and giving in to your inner couch potato, be sure to read on: We’re giving the floor to personal trainer and fitness pro David Distl (33), who’ll reveal how to kickstart your fitness journey, stick with it long-term, and make lasting improvements to your lifestyle. Let’s get started!
Many people start the new year full of enthusiasm and with fitness resolutions, whether it’s getting more exercise, losing weight, or even training for their first marathon. But most give up after just a few weeks. By February at the latest, disillusionment often sets in, and people fall back into old routines. “Next year,” many console themselves...
But why do so many people give up after a motivated start? The reasons are usually unrealistic goals, a lack of planning, or overly high expectations for quick results. A lack of time, a lack of routine, and inner resistance also play a major role in why New Year’s resolutions all too often fail to become reality.
Promising Tips froma Pro
David Distl knows the key factors that make clear goals, structured training, and perseverance invaluable for achieving athletic goals. He has been coaching clients of all ages and fitness levels for over thirteen years.
Distl answered the ten most common questions asked of him by beginners to krone.at:
krone.at: Am I too old to start exercising?
Personal Trainer David Distl: It’s never too late to start. You’re never too old, too overweight, too stiff, or too out of shape. There are numerous stories of seniors who only started exercising after retirement and who regret just one thing: not having started sooner. So get started—older adults should ideally do so after getting the green light from their family doctor. It’s not just good for your body. Additionally, when exercising—for example, in a club or group classes—you can meet like-minded people who motivate you to “stick with it” and help you build new friendships.
How often per week do I need to exercise to see results?
Two days a week is perfectly sufficient for beginners at first. Experienced exercisers who want to reach or maintain peak physical condition should aim for three times a week. The most important thing is to find a workout frequency that you can integrate into your daily routine. Five workouts a week won’t do any good if you stop after ten sessions. This is also the most common mistake: working out too often too soon.
How do I stay motivated when I don’t feel like working out?The key is to start with manageable goals and continuously adjust them as you make progress. This means you’ll celebrate each small success and stay motivated to reach the next milestone. It can be very helpful to find a workout partner or join group classes. For many people, the social aspect is what motivates them. If none of that appeals to you, just remember how good you felt after one of your last workouts. Have you ever said to yourself, “Oh, I wish I’d just stayed on the couch today instead of going to work out”? I bet that’s never happened.
Can I still exercise if I’m overweight or have health issues like knee or back pain?
Absolutely! Being overweight or having health issues is an even better reason to start exercising. Not exercising is a recipe for decline. If you don’t exercise at all, you’ll ultimately only feel worse. With professional guidance and the right approach ,you can train despite old injuries or limitations. Doing nothing will definitely cause pain or health issues to worsen. Important: If you have acute pain, you should consult a doctor and/or physical therapist before starting to exercise.
Do I have to do cardio to lose fat?
Cardio training can certainly help with fat loss, just like strength training. However, running, cycling, rowing, and similar activities don’t offer a significant advantage over strength training. Yes, with endurance training, the number on the scale can drop faster. But be careful: this doesn’t mean that endurance training is better for fat loss. Here, the weight drops sooner simply because little to no muscle is built. Don’t forget: fat loss also depends on a change in diet.
How long will it take before I see the first results from my training?
That depends entirely on your individual starting point. Visible results like muscle gain and fat loss can take several weeks to months. Performance-based results, on the other hand, are often noticeable after just one to two weeks. These include, for example, increased strength or improved endurance during training, or simply a greater sense of physical well-being. While fat is being lost and muscle mass is being built at the same time, your weight may plateau or even increase slightly, even though your body is becoming leaner and more defined. It’s therefore worth tracking other metrics besides weight, such as measurements, body fat percentage, or fitness level.
What dietary considerations should I keep in mind to get fit and healthy?
The best and healthiest diet is a balanced diet. While that may not sound as trendy as low-carb, low-fat, or intermittent fasting, it has proven effective for decades. This means consuming complex carbohydrates with a high fiber content. However, increasing fiber intake too quickly can cause stomach pain—so increase it gradually. Protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, legumes, tofu, skyr yogurt, cottage cheese, quark, etc., should also be part of your diet. Vegetables and some fruit, healthy fats—such as olive oil—and plenty of water are a must. Soft drinks and sugar, on the other hand, are not necessary for the body to survive, so include them only as an occasional treat.
Important: The only sensible diet is one we can stick to for the rest of our lives. There’s no point in drastically changing your diet just to lose a few pounds—only to start all over again after a few weeks. That’s a recipe for frustration. If low-carb is a lifestyle for you and easy to maintain, then a low-carb diet is perfect for you. If you stick to it just to lose five kilos but are miserable in the process, you won’t be able to stick with this diet either.
How will consistent training affect my weight?
This depends entirely on the type of training. Strength training may not initially affect your weight on the scale, since muscle mass is known to weigh more than body fat—so please don’t give up if you don’t see much change on the scale at first. As the weights in your workouts increase, it won’t be long before you see this reflected on the scale. This also depends on your diet. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight over time.
Do I need special equipment to start, or can I train without any equipment?
No, special equipment isn’t necessary. Training shoes and breathable clothing are completely sufficient for now. As for the exercises: You can already achieve a lot by training with your own body weight. Exercises like planks (forearm plank, note), push-ups, squats, etc., can be started at home with little effort. After some time, you can look into joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer. A coach keeps an eye on goals, progression, and more, continuously adapts exercises and training plans, adjusts weights, and motivates clients to continuously improve their performance—all under professional supervision.
Should I be worried about building too much muscle if I start strength training?
Absolutely not! Building muscle is a slow and resource-intensive process. If it were really that easy to build massive muscles, we’d see a lot more so-called bodybuilders on the street. If you still feel like things are moving too fast, you can reduce the weights during your workout or cut back on the number of sets. Then things will quickly get back on track.
What should I do if I don’t stick to my resolutions?
If you happen to skip a workout or “cheat” a bit on your diet, just start over and/or keep going. People often use these little “mistakes” as an excuse to convince themselves they couldn’t have done it anyway. But that’s just handing the reins to your inner slacker! Believe me: even seasoned athletes hit a slump once in a while or occasionally fail to stick to their resolutions and/or workout plans. That’s only human and certainly no reason to throw in the towel or even despair. So if that happens—and it WILL happen!—don’t let it get you down and just pick up where you left off. Nobody’s perfect—and that’s not even necessary!
Tip: You can find more articles and information on sports and fitness at krone.at/fitness!
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