At the start of any new venture in health and fitness, there can be many questions that come up – maybe you have a sore head, or your tummy is feeling a bit off. It’s all normal! Some things can seem quite daunting, and others are just little ‘ah ha!’ moments that you become aware of. Here’s a quick guide to ‘what’s going on’ when you lift off into your new routine:
1. Soreness/Niggles
Yes, it can be concerning if you feel as if you can only move your eyes some mornings when you wake up, but feeling quite sore after the first few sessions is perfectly normal, and does decrease in severity after the initial workouts. Little ‘twinges’ can often present themselves and often resolve themselves just as quickly. Warm up and cool down properly to minimise this.
2. Headaches
Strenuous activity can often lead to headaches while your body adjusts to the new levels of physical activity. Heart rate elevation, poor posture and not enough water are all contributing factors here, so stay well hydrated, practice good form and pay attention to getting enough sleep too.
3. Appetite changes
Depending on what type of training you are doing, you may notice that with an increase of lean muscle tissue comes an elevated level of appetite too. Muscle requires ‘fuel’ and with that your little fire (your metabolism!) is churning away. This doesn’t mean you are to start playing around with your calories and pondering on exactly how many calories you are burning while you performing certain tasks, just follow your Exercise and Meal Plans, and keep everything tidy across the board for awesome results.
Also read: 10 Reasons You Can’t Stop Eating
4. Clothing Feeling Different
Now this is a corker and the irony of people freaking out when their pants don’t fit now is so mind boggling! You wanted to change the shape of your body, right?! You didn’t feel groovy in your get up before you started your twelve weeks, so don’t panic when you notice that you’re getting the change you wanted.
5. Weight Fluctuation
Increases in fluid intake, changes to diet and your body’s natural ups and downs can present many variables when it comes to that number on the scale. The amount of fluid you have, what you ate (before your body processes this too) and how much muscle you have are ALL very important factors that attribute to your overall weight. Hormones play part in how much fluid you have at any one time, and as you’re going through a lovely readjustment phase here, be kind to this and allow it to be.
6. Strength Increase
The first couple of weeks can present a huge spurt in strength with a dip and plateau to follow not long after. This is totally normal! It makes sense that the initial soar upwards would level out, otherwise you would be lifting 60 kilo dumbbells in a matter of weeks! You will NOT look like Arnold just because you are challenging your own strength levels, and I’m certain he spent many years working very specifically towards this goal.
Also read: 10 Meal Prep Tips For Busy Parents
7. Changes in Sleep Patterns
Noticing that your sleeping patterns are changing is awesome! It’s common to feel really tired after strenuous exercise, but a red flag would be to watch out for restlessness at night which could be a sign of overdoing things. Keeping to your scheduled workouts and following your Meal Plans with adequate hydration is the winning formula for success.
8. Skin Changes/Increased Confidence
As your body adjusts to the new routine and goes through an overhaul process, changes to your skin can be apparent, due to toxins being eliminated, hormones leveling out and inflammation being reduced. With gorgeous skin, brighter mood and increased energy, it goes without saying you feel AMAZING!
9. Digestion/Hydration
Changes to your usual diet, levels of water and hormonal shifts can offer a much different schedule when visiting the toilet. It’s not uncommon for people to feel the urge to go a little more frequently and it’s nothing to worry about! A very common topic around water is how much to drink? As we are all different sizes, a good gauge here would be to say that one litre for each 25 kilos of bodyweight as standard.
Dehydration can lead to so many dysfunctions in the body and while some people back out of exercise due to feeling defeated, drinking more water can remedy the ‘flatness’ and degree of fatigue throughout the body.
10. Friends/Social Scene
If you were used to socalising in a environment that was opposite to your new lifestyle, it’s quite natural to expect different viewpoints or comments from others that are not aligned with your new decisions. This is perfectly OK and you don’t need to do anything that you don’t want to, Just be polite, engage wherever you feel comfortable and offer lighthearted chatter about how great you feel, while you order the smarter version from the options when out.
