AG_Transformations

You can’t just find any generic program as parent

You have too many responsibilities to follow a plan that isn’t built for you

You have to build your workout around your
> Life
> Kids
> Job

Because if it doesn’t fit then it won’t stick

You need to find something that works for you

When I work with my clients we introduce habits that compliment their lives and their goals at a pace that suits them.

This stops you from getting overwhelmed and quitting or starting again

We then review and adjust each week so that you’re always progressions towards your goal and taking on what you can manage in that moment.

You work with the chaos not against it.

So if you’re struggling with making a routine stick, start with small manageable habits like drinking more water or eating more protein, short effective workouts and trying to improve sleep.

Review each week, change what’s not working and add to it when you’ve got it locked in

Life is chaotic as a parent

Look for consistent gaps

Be honest with yourself when deciding how much time you have and what you can manage

Have back up plans like home workouts or or meals you can grab from the shops so that you stay consistent

You would never tell your kids you didn’t have time - you would find away to make it work

Now you need to do the same with your training

Look at the schedule you have and find somewhere it fits

If You’re Trying To Eat In A Calorie Deficit To Lose Fat But Also Want To Be Able To Enjoy Some Social & Family Time

Here’s What Most People Do

So let’s assume your maintenance is 2,600kcal and you’re trying to creat a deficit of 500kcal per day so that you’re burning roughly 1lbs per week from food.

Monday - 2100kcal
Tuesday - 2100kcal
Wednesday - 2100kcal
Thursday - 2100kcal
Friday - 2100kcal
Saturday - 2100kcal
Sunday - 2100kcal

This persons calorie deficit for the week is 3500kcal

What you could do instead is

Monday - 1900kcal
Tuesday - 1900kcal
Wednesday - 1900kcal
Thursday - 1900kcal
Friday - 1900kcal
Saturday - 2600kcal
Sunday - 2600kcal

This persons calorie deficit for the week is still 3500kcal but they have been slightly stricter in the week when they’re on more of a schedule and have given themselves more freedom at then weekend.

This way you can still enjoy family and social time.

Try this if eating the same 7 days per week is driving you insane

Sleep is vital to your recovery, performance and general day to day function

Here are some tips for improving your sleep

1 - Sleep in a cool, dark room

2 - Get to bed around the same time every night

3 - No caffeine after 2pm

4 - No screens 1 hour before bed

5 - Journal. Don’t have to be a ‘Dear diary’ situation but emptying your heads of its thoughts and planning tomorrow is great way to help your mind rest

Answer

As parents it’s natural to feel guilty about taking to time for yourself

You’re so used to prioritising everyone else that the thought of sneaking off for an hour to do a workout feels like running away from your responsibilities

The thing is you’re looking at it all wrong !

You’re not skipping out on your duties you’re actually committing to them. Your kids need you strong, healthy and leading by example.

They want you to be able to run and play and join in. Not sit on the sidelines and you don’t look after yourself and focus on getting stronger, fitter and healthier then you’re just numbering the days you can be there for them.

So the sooner you can see it as investing in your future, and becoming capable for them and you, the sooner you can leave the guilt behind.

Here’s what I’ve seen working in gyms

Men trying to lift to heavy before they’ve learnt the correct form and essentially throwing a weight around

Women lifting too light with great form but no intensity

If you’re trying to get results from your training you need to be doing the following things in your training

1 - Are you lifting with the right form? - can you feel the exercise in the muscle you’re supposed to be feeling it in? If you can’t then you’re probably doing it wrong

2 - Are you training with enough intensity for your body to change? - If you’re aiming for 10 reps with a weight that you can do 15 with then it’s too light. You should be working to 1-2RIR. This means when you finish your set you can’t get more than 1-2 extra reps even if your life depended on it

3 - Are you progressing? - You should be trying to beat yourself each week. That can be improved form, same weight more reps, same reps more weight. If you aren’t showing improvements or getting stronger then something is off.

Fix these things in your training and see the difference it makes.

Stop waiting for the perfect time

As a parent life is always chaotic

Someone else always has control in your schedule

Your idea of a 12 week window where you can just focus on you is nothing but a dream

You have to find time

You have to prioritise the time you have now

You have to make it fit

Then you can find something that sticks

Then you can get the results you want

If you don’t feel ready ! You’re not alone

People start scared, uncertain & doubting themselves

But they start anyway

And you know what happens

They feel more and more ready as they go through the process

After the 1st session or 1st week or even after they proved to themselves they could do it and make it work

Waiting to feel ready is a trap and it keeps you stuck

Because you’ll never feel ready until you take action

Stop waiting

Just start

Don’t quit before it gets good

You have to push through the tough times where life is more chaotic

Because of you can make it work in the chaos and keep consistency for 6 months

You’ll be unrecognisable and it will just be part of the life you live

Most parents don’t push through the 2nd phase

It’s too easy to make excuses when life gets busy

But this is the most importance part

Because is you can find away to make it work when life is chaotic then you’ll never fail again

Life will always be busy but your health and fitness will always be necessary

So push through and embrace the chaos adapt your routine and reel the benefits

When you set unrealistic goals you’re bound to fail

As a parent your schedule is filled with responsibilities for everyone else

So when you try to give up all your favourite things and completely reinvent your self over night you can’t

And you never will be able to

What you need to do is look at what you can actually do each week.

How much time have you got to committ and how does your health and fitness fit into that time

The sooner you start doing this and being realistic with yourself the sooner you’ll stop quitting and start progressing