PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Starting a fitness journey can be a difficult routine to get into. 

In the beginning, things may seem overwhelming and evaluating why you want to take your fitness seriously can help you be successful in your goals.

“Fitness is an important part of my life because it gives me a break from things like stress, and I enjoy pushing myself to new heights,” said Chase Ncube, player for the Laurier Brantford Soccer team.

Fitness is defined as being physically fit and suitable to complete particular tasks. People use fitness to take breaks from daily tasks, improve mental and physical health, and accomplish goals they have set out for themselves.

Strength training, cardiovascular exercises and yoga are some examples of how people can stay fit and improve their health goals.

While everyone may have different reasons for why they wish to be healthy, the benefits of it all can carry into other areas of one’s lifestyle also.

“The amount of commitment and discipline I have comes from my fitness journey and thankfully, it has carried over to all parts of my life,” said Ncube.

Like with any new activity, it can take time to build a habit of constantly repeating a process. As some people start with no prior experience in the fitness world also, it can be a daunting and scary encounter to go through.

Enlisting the help of personal trainers can help the process be easier and allow for a smoother transition to becoming fit.

“Creating a non-judgemental environment where it is okay to make mistakes will build a healthy environment between the client and the trainer,” said Mohammed Yakubi, personal trainer at The Forge Martial Arts Health and Fitness. “The perfect recipe for this is positive reinforcement and a little bit of tough of love. By doing all of this work, the person who was once shy and afraid will trust you by knowing that you have the best interest for them.”

It is expected for people to make mistakes and struggle with the process early on. Creating an environment of comfort is ideal to lay the foundation of the necessary building blocks for someone to grow into their own and learn from their mistakes.

While anyone can hire a personal trainer through any part of their fitness journey, training with another person has its advantages. Having someone with you to test your limits and encourage you constantly can help accelerate the results a person can see.

The process should never be rushed and taking the time to find out one’s weaknesses and trying to push through limitations are key to taking things to the next level.

“It is all about consistency,”  said Yakubi. “There is no perfect diet, pre-workout or protein that will instantly get you in shape. Focus on being consistent and the results will follow. You can always control the effort and consistency you put into each workout.”

Becoming consistent takes time but results are guaranteed to follow.

As the Laurier Brantford YMCA is now open from a previous closing, students are encouraged to start or continue their fitness journey. Ideally, this will help promote a healthy lifestyle for students as well as provide some leisure time away from studies.

We hope to see all Golden Hawks heading in the right direction and fitness may be one thing that pushes them along this path.