We won’t leave you hanging for too long, let’s address the question immediately on your mind. What on earth does ‘Inclusive Fitness’ for weight loss mean?
Well, we all know that fitness is great for weight loss. I can’t imagine there is a sole left who could effectively argue that it isn’t. But what if fitness was not just a solo pursuit but an inclusive team effort?
In this article we will be referring to ‘Inclusive Fitness’ as the nature in which we welcome and surround ourselves with like minded individuals who positively influence our weight loss journey.
The key word here is positive, meaning actions and encouragement that aligns with you getting closer to your desired weight loss goals. Thus also not letting your goals be a distant dream or fairytale that you never end up accomplishing.
It has to be said that the health and fitness industry hasn’t always had the best reputation when it comes to welcoming all types of people with open arms. If you weren’t a certain body type/shape or fitness level, who were you to step foot into a big gym and use the squat rack, right?
Well thankfully that unnecessary mentality towards others in fitness is a dying trend. Yes, there are always going to be those opinionated egoistic persons around, but fortunately you can mediate their presence by choosing your preferred environment.
With the increasing trend of group fitness gyms and community focused personal training studios there is an ever growing list of fitness facilities you can choose from. Let’s be frank though and say that not all gyms offer the same inclusive fitness approaches. So finding the right fitness facility for you, will be crucial to your success in obtaining your results.
Below we will outline what to look for in a fitness business and discuss the top 4 benefits of inclusive fitness for weight loss.
- Community Focused Fitness for Weight Loss
- Fuel your weight loss with a competitive mindset
- Use fitness as a tool for a better life
- Greater Accountability and Results
1. Community Focused Fitness for Weight Loss.
Look for a fitness facility that encourages community activities outside of the gym itself. This will allow you to get to know your fellow members and form friendships that can last a lifetime. Better still, these friends will align with your fitness aspirations and further enhance your chances of achieving those weight loss goals.
Step into a gym space where everyone knows your name, the trainers are welcoming and the community vibes are all smiles. We are more likely to continue with our weight loss journey if we feel welcomed and safe in the space we exercise. Free from judgement, intimidation, and overcrowding.
There are plenty of fitness facilities that accommodate this feeling of inclusiveness into their culture. To ensure yourself the best chances of staying motivated and enjoying your weight loss journey, pair a welcoming gym with a style of exercise you enjoy. Workout with friends by your side supporting you every step of the way.
2. Fuel your weight loss with a competitive mindset.
If you have ever played sports before and you wanted to win, you will know exactly where this paragraph is going. Sure playing sport is a great choice for inspiring your inner competitive side to spark greater effort and calories burnt, but this isn’t an article about sports. We are looking for inclusive fitness for weight loss, and we can certainly find it in fitness challenges offered either online or in person.
To fuel your weight loss journey we recommend adding a fitness challenge into your blueprint for success. Achieving little wins along the way in your progress towards weight loss is great, but how much more exciting would it be to win a competition at your local gym?
It’s your name for once up in lights, all over the socials and providing inspiration for others. Most people find transformation stories incredibly inspiring and highly motivating for themselves. Take your dreams to the next level and aspire to be that person providing the spark for others.
We can all do this. Put aside your fears and excuses and give yourself the respect to believe in what you are truly capable of. Yes life will get in the way at times and speed bumps along the road are inevitable, but it’s how you respond to these setbacks that will really define your outcomes.
Start with a small challenge like a 28-day version and make the most of your resources to help you. Ask questions, get involved in the community online and organise your time effectively. Then all that is left is for you to put in the work. You knew it was always going to be required, we don’t just get results with no effort, so set yourself up for success and compete your way to weight loss success.
3. Use fitness as a tool for a better life.
It is a huge understatement to say that fitness and weight loss can improve your health. Undoubtedly it can, but what about the other areas of your life that will also benefit from achieving this desired goal?
You set yourself a weight loss target. But in the beginning this is just an educated guess of where you think you need or want to be. Getting there won’t always guarantee that you will feel the way you expected. You may feel worse, or even better than you anticipated.
All of the guessing aside, one thing we can guarantee from the hundreds of our own clients we have seen achieve weight loss before. Is that their entire life can change for the better in ways they didn’t even consider.
In a domino-like effect, from the moment you tell yourself you are going to lose weight, your life can positively be impacted on the daily choices and decisions you make. Improving our health takes more than just exercise alone, we need to consider food choices, time management, sleep patterns, hydration, stress and so much more.
Encompassing all these areas is termed ‘holistic health’ in the fitness and wellness industry. Like holistic health, our environment and wellbeing can improve with the little changes we implement on a daily basis. Eg. Choosing to go to the gym before meeting a friend at the cafe with help offset the extra calories you might induce. Therefore keeping you better on track in your weight loss journey.
We have seen countless clients in our studio build their confidence with weight loss, increase their cardiovascular fitness, spend more time being active with their kids and so much more from what started out as a stand alone weight loss goal.
So keep in mind the additional benefits that can come from your weight loss aspirations. And in turn perhaps you can be a helping hand to others, including them in your journey and being an unexpected benefit to them in their weight loss experience.
4. Greater Accountability and Results.
Earlier we talked about the benefits of a community focused fitness facility. Here we want to further emphasis why this is such a useful tool towards your weight loss journey.
There is a reason why boxers have people in their corner helping them push on in a fight. No doubt boxing is one of the most grueling sports on earth. Not just physically but mentally as you somehow need to work up the courage to face a potential punch right to your head at any moment should you let your concentration slip for just a second.
Your weight loss journey may not be that of a boxing match, but how much more would you benefit from having people in your corner encouraging you along the way? I bet those days when you just don’t feel like it, or lacking in energy where others help bring you up and kick your butt into gear (like a personal trainer can) will have you thanking them in the long run when you reach your desired goals.
Accountability is what pushes us out of our comfort zone, for the benefit of achieving something we have not achieved before. We can do this alone, yes, but humans are often inherently primed to do less, take the quick fix and procrastinate. If you are the minority and don’t succumb to these from time to time, fantastic, but for the rest of us we will benefit from the help of others.
Results are what we are all after. We wouldn’t push for more if we didn’t want the result. Being part of an inclusive gym environment where others are also striving to achieve their own results is highly motivating and instils greater belief in our own weight loss journey.
Final Thoughts
As we have learnt, it is very beneficial to surround ourselves in an inclusive fitness environment for weight loss. Doing so can improve our chances of results through additional accountability, increased competition, finding like minded fitness friends and enhanced holistic health.
Here at Authentic Personal Training we build our success around providing a results focused, and non-intimidating environment for members to workout. We want all members to feel comfortable and welcome both inside our studio and throughout our online community.
We are passionate about helping people lose weight and better their lives holistically. If you are looking for a place to start your weight loss journey free of judgement and full of encouragement, then our small Crows Nest Studio is the place for you. We hope that you have been empowered to dream big and achieve your desired goals, and if you want help along the way we would be very happy to assist you.
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