My experience with exercise hasn’t always been a positive one. I can tell you I wasn’t consistent with regular exercise until I was in my mid-twenties. Even then, and now, I fall into periods of being motivated, and then not motivated. This is natural and can be caused by loads of different things.
What stops or prevents you from exercising? Work pressures, home schooling your kids, family routines, pure exhaustion, fear of looking stupid, worry about what others will say or think of you, lack of confidence, lack of knowing what the right exercise is for you, not having clear goals or the knowledge of how to achieve them?
Do you set yourself the goal to get up and exercise early and then just don’t, for whatever reason? Sometimes there are totally valid reasons. If you’re on or around your period, sometimes you have to forget about exercising. Some months are worse than others.
And whatever the reason for not doing it, and because you’ve said you would, and you wanted to, and had all the right intentions, when you don’t you feel guilty. Like you’ve failed before you even tried. And then other habits form to comfort those feelings of guilt.
On top of all of this, there’s always that feeling, tucked under all the other feelings. That feeling you know but often forget. That feeling that comes when you have done some exercise. Any amount of exercise. 4-minutes, 10 minutes, 30, a whole hour! That feeling that boosts you. Boosts your mood, your attitude, your mentality towards other things you have to get done. That extra bit of rocket fuel you didn’t know you had. A second wind. Those plucky endorphins helping you along your way. Getting you through your day.
When I was younger, I was active. Active in the sense that I was always doing things. As a kid growing up I was outdoors a lot with my sisters, Dad and Grandparents. At the beach, playing ball games, playing in the street. The usual early 90’s childhood. Before the rise in computers and technology. It was starting but it was in its early days. If you had a computer, it was huge. Not something you could slip into your backpack or pocket. The techiest thing we had as a kid was a pink ‘Dear Diary’ – do you remember those? LOL
So yeah, I was active and outside a lot as a kid…like I’m sure you were. Then you hit puberty and become a teenager and you spend as much time outdoors, or at least, out of the house, as you can. But it’s not for the same reasons as before. You’re pushing boundaries. Hanging out at the park, the bus stop, wherever you can to get away from authority and do things you shouldn’t.
I got heavily involved in drugs and alcohol quite young. Younger than most who try it. And I didn’t just try it. I tried it all and did it for a long time. And then throughout my twenties I continued to abuse alcohol and drugs.
Those of you who follow me; my Instagram and Facebook or have attended my free training will know my story. Exercise wasn’t part of it for years. I was in a cycle of drinking, taking drugs, eating badly, not exercising and had poor mental health, although I didn’t know it at the time. It was terrible in fact. Feeling depressed and always anxious I turned again to drinking and drugs which led me to eating badly and not moving my body and then, yep, you got it, fuelling my depression and anxiety. Over and over. All. The. 
Time.
It’s a common cycle for lots of people. Young people. There’s a lifestyle most young people have to experience and go through. It’s all character building. Right?
I never thought I needed expensive gym memberships to keep fit. The thought of hiring someone to train me in the gym didn’t even come to mind. I ran occasionally. That was free. I had a few resistance bands. That was free. I could do this at home. I could run close to home. But I barely did. And it wasn’t just about the expense. I just didn’t think it was something I needed.
How things have changed.
The first experience I had in a gym was when I was 16. The PT who gave me an induction made me do a 2000m row test to see how fit I was. As I rowed, it became more and more embarrassing for him, and me and it didn’t seem like I was even going to finish it. I huffed and puffed and finally he told me to stop. He realised it was probably a mistake to make me do that. It was intimidating, and it made me feel like a failure.
Gyms are scary places for you if you aren’t familiar with them. The mirrors are horrible if you don’t like your reflection (especially if you get red-faced and super sweaty.) The other people working out seem like they live in another world. A world where they know what they are doing and are confident and fit and strong and have their life sorted. The people that look great so must be doing great, you know?
I continued joining gyms after college. Then quitting. Joining another. And quitting again. Does this sound familiar? I didn’t really get into going until I got a personal trainer. I was 24. I had been joining, paying for and quitting gyms since I was 16. What was I missing?
Accountability. Someone to make sure I was actually getting the work done.
8 years. 8 bloody years of no real direction. I didn’t know what I was doing. But I knew I wanted to feel better with my mental health. I wanted to feel better when I looked in the mirror. And right then, I didn’t.
I continued leaning on booze and fags and drugs and late nights and fast food. Because that is all I knew and that was my life.
Then I started a new job. I decided to get some help from a personal trainer. You know, ‘new job, new me’, ‘turning my life around’, ‘la, la, la’ – sounds like a song, right? It helped me. Actually, it saved me. Making the decision to get a personal trainer saved my life. All I had to do was have one less night out a week to pay for it.
But it didn’t happen overnight. Oh no, no. I was 24. I’m now 33. That’s a decade of work. Fucking hard work. And it continues to be hard work. But it takes hard work to be where you want to be and to live the life you want to live.
Let me tell you, I didn’t think that seeking guidance from a personal trainer would lead me to where I am today. Living the life, I live today. I joined gyms because I hated myself. I quit gyms for the same reason and because I didn’t get anywhere or ever see any results. I couldn’t do it on my own and thought I just wasn’t capable of achieving. But my PT showed my otherwise.
If I’d known ten years ago that getting a personal trainer would get the results I got, I would have done it then. And not hesitated. I dreaded going on holiday, the summer, wearing ‘summer’ clothes. But my personal journey has taught me so much more than how to love my body and be happy to look at myself in the mirror.
Yes, money is always a worry. Gym memberships and personal trainers are seen as luxuries. But really, they’re essential. Investing time and money and hard work in yourself is necessary for our mental and physical health. Don’t let anyone or thing make you think differently. We can be made to feel guilty or self-indulgent for spending money and time on ourselves. Forget those people, whoever they are. It’s important and we need to do it. To build a better future for bodies and our minds.
I am here to confirm that. To encourage that. I encourage self-development and investment in yourself whole heartedly. Because I waited and wasted time. Now you don’t have to.
That’s why I have created my free online training. To show you my methods to living a healthy lifestyle. Your happiest life. The life you want to live. For you. To help you achieve your long-standing fitness, weight or wellbeing goals.
You are good enough
You can do anything
Positivity is a choice
Are you prepared to succeed?
I am ready to see you succeed! Click HERE to register for your place at my next free online training session today.
Can’t wait to see you there.
Love George.
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