Blog | MontanaFit

So you’ve been coming to the gym consistently for a year now but you still don’t look like Joe Shmo who comes to the 6:30 am class and you still can’t lift as much as Hercules (you forget his real name) who can squat three of you.

What gives? 

Hang tight and read these 5 things that our most successful clients are doing. 

#1) Buckle up for the long haul. 

Strength and physique goals take time, especially if you didn’t win the genetic lottery. When you first start the gym, you might be motivated by some rapid results in strength, weight loss, or muscle gain–commonly known as newbie gains.

Unfortunately, after some time, these positive changes start to slow down and you are now getting frustrated by your lack of progress.

Take a deep breath, and get ready to work. Further improvements can take years and people at the top of their game have been at it consistently for a long time. 

Keep showing up and someday, you’ll be the person that beginners are looking up to!

#2) Get more serious about your nutrition.

“You can’t outwork a bad diet” is an old adage that still applies today.

Getting serious about nutrition isn’t just limiting the “bad” stuff, it also includes eating enough of the “good” stuff. 

Eating a diet sufficient in protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients will ensure you’re maximizing your potential to work and recover.

#3) Make training non-negotiable.

Really fit people have decided that movement and training is non-negotiable in their life. This means that they have prioritized their fitness and finding time or money to put toward their fitness, even if it means that other opportunities take a back seat. 

Figure out if you are ready to make fitness part of your identity and structure other aspects of your life around training. 

#4) Know when you need more personalized training. 

Sometimes you encounter injury and/or plateaus that make it harder to make progress in the gym. 

Whether you need more specific coaching, help coming back from an injury, or just some extra accountability, working with a professional can help you overcome a number of obstacles. 

#5) Get serious about recovery. 

Most seriously fit people will tell you that their secret is sleep. 

If you want to break into the next tier of fitness, not only should your diet support this, but so should your recovery. This includes getting quality sleep and also effectively managing stress.

Our successful members know that what you do outside of the gym matters just as much as what you do inside of the gym. Are you ready to make this commitment for yourself?

So you fell off of the metaphorical bandwagon…now what? 

It can be heart wrenching when you’re getting back into a workout routine to face crippling soreness with what used to be your warmup weight. Even worse is when you used to crush workouts and now you can’t even run a mile without stopping to gasp for air. 

You aren’t the person you once were, and you’re eager to reach your fitness goals once again.

Here are our top 3 suggestions for getting back into shape.

#1) Change the way you are talking to yourself. 

Yes, you used to be able to back squat 4x more than you can today…that was then. Do your best to be present and accept where you are right now. You can’t change the past but you can focus on today and do what is necessary today, tomorrow, and the next day to reach your goals. 

#2) Take it slow.

You don’t have to trash yourself every workout to get back to where you were. In fact, going too hard, too fast can not only put you at higher risk for injury, but the resulting debilitating muscle soreness will make it hard to perform and get the gains that you want tomorrow. 

#3 ) Set goals that are achievable. 

Look at what the rest of your life looks like outside of the gym. 

Are the demands placed on you the same as when you were at your best? Make sure you are setting goals that are realistic with your ability to execute them. If you’re in a busy season of life, it’s okay to modify expectations accordingly and make sure your workout efforts aren’t exceeding your ability to recover.

One of the biggest reasons that people go to the gym is to lose weight. 

Maybe you had a baby, switched jobs, or the weight just snuck up on you and now you’re wondering how to get back to a healthier version of yourself. 

Counting calories can be the obvious solution but can be a cumbersome chore and for some, lead to disordered eating. 

If this isn’t the best option for you, you’re not alone. Try these 5 tips to improve your eating habits:

#1) Eat mindfully.

In our culture, we have a lot of expectations placed on us. Be productive at work, run kids to practices, exercise, socialize, etc. Often, this means we’re eating meals on the go, multitasking during our lunch, or eating out which causes us to lose touch with how food makes us feel and our hunger cues. 

Next time you eat a meal, try this: put away all distractions such as phone and TV, put your utensils down between bites, notice tastes and textures while you chew your food, and pay attention to how the food feels in your belly. 

#2) Focus on protein intake. 

Consuming adequate protein can make sure that if you are losing weight, you are losing fat mass, and not muscle mass. Protein also has satiating effects (helps you feel fuller, longer). Try to start with 0.8-1.0 g/lb.

#3) Focus on healthy fat intake.

Like protein, fat can help you feel satiated (full). Try to incorporate unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into your diet from foods like nuts, avocados, and olive oil.

#4) Focus on one habit at a time.

It’s hard to go from eating a diet rich in savory and sweet foods, to a diet completely deprived of these tastes.

Rather than trying to completely overhaul your diet overnight, focus on one habit at a time. Good places to start are behaviors like hitting protein or veggies goals. Get so good at this habit that it is second nature (like brushing your teeth) and then start working on another habit!

#5) Try an abundance mindset. 

When starting a diet, people tend to go to all of the things they can’t have such as sweets, alcohol, or the dreaded carbs. Instead, focus on all of the things you can and should be eating to support your goals. Make eating these things a priority and then eat things like sweets in moderation and mindfully.