5 Lessons I’ve Learned on My Fitness Journey
As a young athlete, I was always active, but I consider the start of my fitness journey to be 6 years ago, in 2016, when I quit track. For the first time, I was in the driver's seat.
With over 10 years under the tutelage of some of the best track coaches in the country, a BS in Kinesiology, and my certifications in personal training and corrective exercise I was more prepared than most to make the calls.
But between those early days and now there have been plenty of ups and downs, mistakes and successes, unlearning and relearning. Here are the most important takeaways that have changed how I approach my fitness routine today.
1. Your Body & Needs Are Unique
As a young fitness instructor, I spent the first few years of my journey looking to others for inspiration—copying their workouts or packing random fitness classes into my week to stay active.
There isn’t anything wrong with getting guidance from others. But, since I wasn’t following an organized plan, I wasn’t taking structured rest or recovery either. The result: overtraining and mental burnout.
Once I started focusing on what exercise made me feel good, I had more energy for my workouts and everything else, too.
2. Your Workout Routine Will Evolve Over Time
As humans, we often value consistency and fear change. But, over the years you’ll find your workouts do change, especially as you go through different phases of life.
I’ve been into everything from HIIT to yoga, walking to running, heavy weights to pilates. Fitness should ebb and flow. Change is good, and creativity is natural. Don’t hold onto a routine that isn’t making you happy. Give yourself permission to embrace change.
3. Low Intensity Does Not Mean Low Efficiency
I used to be obsessed with HIIT, and I thought any workout that didn’t maximize your effort was a waste of time. What a load of crap. HIIT has a time and place (once or twice a week max), but every workout you do doesn’t need to be an all-out effort.
There’s value in moving to get some vitamin D and fresh air, boosting your confidence and mood, and improving your functional fitness (the way you move and the ease of daily activities).
Plus, if you make everything high-intensity all the time, you may actually miss the whole point. When you put intensity first on a long run, you won’t get very far (trust me, I’ve tried). And when you put intensity first during strength training, you might sacrifice the weight you’re physically able to lift or your form for the sake of speed.
High intensity isn’t always wrong, just use it appropriately.
4. Health > Fitness
I used to place so much value on my workouts alone. But wellness is multi-faceted. Your nutrition, sleep, mental fitness, hormonal health, and overall health are even more important. Give the basics the attention they deserve. If you had a bad night of sleep, didn’t fuel properly, or are feeling low it’s okay to skip a workout. Health first. Always.
5. There Are Many Ways to Measure Progress
Fresh out of college sports, I measured all of my progress on the scale. As long as I didn’t gain weight, I was “maintaining” my fitness. But in reality, I wasn’t. I wasn’t in the gym lifting heavy, or out on the track sprinting. I may have clocked in at the same weight, but I was eating less, and working out with what little energy I had to do so. The result? A far cry from how I aimed to look. I lost a lot of muscle and was honestly too skinny.
That might not be relatable to all, but it’s my truth. And odds are, you’ve had your own experience with the scale. This is your reminder that the scale isn’t everything.
When I finally decided to look beyond it, I started noticing other things about my fitness progress like how much weight I could lift and my pace during a run. I even deem how I feel during a workout—something I would have ignored and pushed through in the past—as a powerful data point worth tuning into.
I’m not saying that the scale is a bad way to measure progress. All I’m saying is if a unit of measurement isn’t serving you, it’s worth ditching it for one that does.
