No one ever dreams of being “almost in shape,” so it’s no surprise that so many new clients come to us with goals of being super-fit, having six-pack abs, losing 20 pounds, and so on. And really, there’s nothing wrong with that… as long as you’re planning it for the long-term.
In the short-term, though, you can actually do yourself a lot of favors by lowering the bar a bit. You see, as great as ambition is, it can actually kill off your fitness plan in a hurry. That’s because starting off too quickly, especially if you aren’t currently working out all that much, can cause damage to your mind and body.
For one thing, the risk of injury to someone who goes too far lifting weights, or taking on some other strenuous activity for the first time, or after a long layoff, is pretty real. It’s hard to work out with torn ligaments and other physical problems, so make sure that you pace yourself in the beginning or it might not be too long before you can’t work out at all. Also, it’s worth noting here that it’s a good idea for anyone thinking about taking on a new fitness program to talk with his or her doctor first.
Even more common, and more dangerous, is the effect that early overtraining can have on your state of mind. To put it simply, working out too hard when your body is unprepared is frustrating and painful. Few of us look forward to things that cause stress, so if you set a pattern of pushing too hard, you’ll naturally find reasons to avoid your workout.
If you’re serious about getting into shape, then try to take your time and not push too hard. It might be difficult to have some patience and go slow at first, but you’ll get much better results in the long run.
