Edinburgh Wellbeing Festival 2020: your fitness fears and how to overcome them
Celebrity trainer and ‘Positive Mental Attitude’ expert Faisal Abdalla on what’s really holding you back from your fitness goals
As a fitness coach, I’ve come to discover if there’s one thing people love to be scared of, it’s exercise. I’ve heard every excuse under the sun. Some of them have been reasonable, some of them have been ridiculous, but it has made me realise that fitness is firmly in the “can’t do box” for so many people. So, to try and help you overcome the hurdles in your head, I’m going to tackle a few of them for you now...
Gymtimidation
This is a real thing and I totally get it. The gym can be a very intimidating place for a beginner, but very often that’s because we are focusing on the wrong thing entirely, and that’s everybody else in the gym. We love to compare ourselves to others, but we have a bad habit of only comparing ourselves to people we think are better than us. There will always be someone better than you at something in any gym or fitness class you go to. Let it go. You don’t need to be the fittest, the fastest or the strongest. You’re working to be the best version of yourself and for that all you need is the bravery to take those first steps and the commitment to keep taking them.
You're broke
Exercise doesn’t cost money. You don’t need a fancy gym membership, you don’t need designer workout gear. All you need is a body that can move. We are fortunate that there are now endless incredible and free workout videos available online that can help inspire us in the comfort of our own homes. If you have no equipment, you can use your own bodyweight and get an amazingly effective workout in.
You're too busy
I’m a pretty busy man and a dad too so I never get to clock off, but my fitness hasn’t taken a back seat. I fit in exercise because I make it one of my non-negotiables. Just as I wouldn’t skip brushing my teeth, I wouldn’t skip exercising because it’s part of my routine. I absolutely understand some days can be insanely busy, but people need to stop looking at exercise as something that needs a whole hour of the day. On the days where you are super short on time, just prioritise staying active throughout your normal day: stairs instead of the lift, walking instead of the bus, carrying a basket instead of pushing a trolley... you get the idea. Just do something instead of nothing.
"I've heard every excuse under the sun. Some of them have been reasonable, some of them have been ridiculous"
You're too unfit
Let me say this loudly one more time - you don’t have to be fit to get started, you have to start to get fit. We were all beginners once and we all had to start somewhere so don’t waste your energy feeling embarrassed, channel that energy into getting better. And remember, it’s not supposed to be easy. If it feels easy, you’re not working hard enough.
No motivation
A common reason for a lack of motivation is a lack of enjoyment. If you’re not having fun while exercising, it’s natural you’re not going to be chomping at the bit to do it. Experiment with different ways to work out and keep going until you find the right fit. Recruit some friends, create an awesome workout playlist, try training outdoors, you get the picture. Just don’t be scared to play with the formula because exercise isn’t one size fits all.Whatever your excuse, I can almost guarantee there’s a way to overcome it. It is hard to get started, but, it’s not impossible so don’t waste your life waiting for tomorrow. The time is now. You may never run out of excuses but one day you WILL run out of tomorrows, so get out there and start living your best life today.
Fasial Abdalla will be leading his PMA Fitness class on Sunday 02 February at The Edinburgh Wellbeing Festival. For tickets and more information, visit edinburghwellbeingfestival.com.