How much effort is enough?

Published: Thu, 04/07/16

Hi

Effort is totally dependant on the moment

The fitness, age, health and experience of an individual are all factors which come into play when we measure ourselves on how much effort we are putting into a goal or target.
One thing I truly believe is that everyone has the capacity to put in the maximum effort they can at any time into mind, body, play and work.

As long as the effort is the best you can do in the precise moment, then this is ALWAYS enough to illicit a positive change in body and mind.

Being unconditioned and walking uphill on a treadmill is just as much effort as being a pro sprinter knocking out a 100m distance in 10 seconds.

I would actually go so far as to say the unconditioned person is probably working harder!

Our bodies respond to stimuli with every effort we make and these are so small we are often too focused on the GLOBAL goal to notice them!

We could be getting slightly disheartened while looking in the mirror and not seeing much of a change while our body is busy:

  • strengthening the Rhomboid muscle on your left hand side, that, during its time being weak has caused that needle like pain you feel every night in bed. You are one work out away from never feeling this again
  • adding extra core muscle that will be there looking nice and chiselled when you drop a few extra pounds
  • adding some size to your triceps, making yours look nice and 'toned' from the back where you can't see...but everyone else can
  • dropping your resting heart rate a few BPM that in 20 years will mean you dodge a heart attack
  • building the extra white blood cells that could be the ones that destroy a cancer cell
  • adding bone mass to your pelvis that will save you breaking your hip when you fall down at 80 y/o
  • raising you metabolism a notch to get ready to burn some fat off in a week or so

Our bodies are a truly incredible and adaptive machine that respond to every little bit of effort we do...


Whether it is that last rep on a heavy shoulder press, extra 20 min walk for the week or dodging a chocolate bar you wanted but didn't eat...just push that little bit more.

Notice the tiny changes and add the tiny habits, every day

Every tiny change you make your correct your end point more. Think of a graph like the one below with the Y axis being 'your health' and the X axis being time:


Any tiny change to make that line move steeper will mean a huge difference to you health in 10/20/30 years as that line goes up.

Of course it is never a straight line so view this as your mean/average total health.

Just do ONE thing at a time with the most effort you can muster..that is all it needs to be

Keep that graph pointing upwards,

J
James Chandler
Personal Trainer
07870 262741
www.eatwellandworkout.com


'To inspire, educate and support our clients on their journey to better health'