Work For It

We’ve all seen the magazines that claim to help you shed kilos in days or do this workout like ‘insert famous actress/model name here’ and you too can have a body like them. Quite unrealistic I think.

Now, this may be all you need to get the inspiration and desire to make changes in your life such as eating a more balanced diet or doing some daily exercise. Great. Be realistic though. Remember the actress/model will have time and money behind them. They will work hard to look like they do, but they don’t have a regular 9 to 5 job. They can easily pay a Personal Trainer to do one on one sessions with them at any time of the day or night and who will likely go to their house. How many people do you know that do that? Hmm… none right.

Whilst many of these workouts are doable at home, can you honestly say you have the time to dedicate to doing this. One of the things they are unlikely to tell you is what other exercise or routines they follow, what else they do during the day that helps them to look like they do. They may follow a strict diet or they may happily eat their body weight in chocolate. Regardless their lifestyle is going to be different to yours.

It take hard work and determination to have a well toned body. If it was that easy to look like your idol or favourite actress/actor or model then surely we would all be walking around looking similar.

It doesn’t come that easy unfortunately. If it did, the chances are you will likely be missing something such as eating regularly, or a balanced diet.

Someone said we have the same number of hours in a day as Beyonce. Yes we do. However, Beyonce will have a team of people behind her, helping with many aspects of her life. She will likely have someone to take care of her children, so she can do a workout or go to the gym. Her food perhaps is cooked for her, she will have someone to get things for her throughout the day. Imagine how much you could do if you had cooks, cleaners, nanny, chauffeur, stylists, Personal Trainer etc. You would have a lot more time to get yourself in the best shape.

Now believe me when I say, I know Beyonce works hard. There is no way she would be where she is today if she didn’t. But where she is now, is not where you are. So be kind to yourself and don’t expect to look like your favourite singer/actress etc overnight. It will take time and a lot of dedication. Particularly if you have not exercised in years and your diet is perhaps not the best.

So what should you do if you want to have a body/diet to rival that of your idol. Well here are my top 5 tips:

1. Be kind to yourself – whilst you have a goal in mind, remember set backs occur. But it isn’t the end of the world, just move on. Start afresh the next day, and keep going. Don’t punish yourself if you don’t stick to your new food/exercise goal 100% of the time. Aim for 80% and you can always build up from there, ensuring you have leeway should you be invited out for dinner or drinks or enjoy a slice of birthday cake.
2. Be realistic in your goals – you need to think about how YOU will look if you are taking on a new exercise regime or healthy eating. Unless you have an uncanny resemblance to said actress then you will not look like them at the end, even your body may not look like theirs if you are going through a grueling work out. So set realistic goals, start small and you will be amazed at how you will progress.
3. Give yourself time – Just because they got that body in two weeks does not mean you will. You need to take your time. Think long term and go slowly. If you rush, you will likely not achieve, leading to disappointment and a high probability that you will give up altogether. So go slow.
4. Find what works for you – Gym membership can be expensive, so is there anything you could do at home to replicate the exercises without the expense. Perhaps to start off with you use cans of beans as weights until you get used to it, fill up a 4 litre empty milk carton with water or sand and use this instead of a kettlebell. Then if you enjoy it and start to build up a routine, then you can look to purchase a set of dumbbells or kettlebells. Also think about what you enjoy. There is no point doing a certain activity or exercise if you dislike it or get frustrated with it. Do what you enjoy and it will make it easier for you to stay focused.
5. Be yourself – If wearing shorts and t-shirts are what you want to wear, then do so, don’t be dictated by buying all the fancy clothes if it isn’t you. You will feel uncomfortable and not get the best out of your workout so wear what you want. Remember you are not Beyonce, you are YOU.

Whatever the headlines are that you read in newspapers and magazines think about how possible it is for you to look like that famous person. You should feel comfortable being you and if you are not, then look to make the changes that work for you. Quick fixes are just that, but equally the results will be quick and won’t last. Aim for a balanced diet and a regular exercise routine. Do what you enjoy and be kind to yourself. You can get the body you want, you just have to work for it.

Take care and have a great week.

Look after you! Love Emma xxx