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The Fitness Lifestyle Isn’t One Size Fits All

A lot of people are afraid to get into the life, or intimidated thinking they don’t possess the level of discipline required. What most miss is that, that discipline is built up over time. You can start slow.
I interviewed several fitness enthusiasts on what is basically their day-to-day life with the fitness lifestyle.
Sovo (@Sovo_M)

Q. What made you get fit?

Sovo: I got fit from a young age, was always a sporty and active kid…but more importantly I have a dad who’s been in the gym lifting weights since I was born so that pushed me. 

Q. How do you train? Do you have a routine or trainer?

Sovo: I have a training partner and we train one muscle a day and end every session with one arm exercise or calf exercise that we call “daily bread” 

Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?

Sovo: I’m maybe 65% discipline with Diet because I love food and also I’m not competing or getting paid to do this so I do it plainly to look good and I feel like my diet level is good enough.

Q. How do you stay motivated?

Sovo: I struggle staying Motivated to be honest and I sometimes lose it…but I hate looking like the average joe and the moment I feel like I’m inching towards that I pull myself towards myself and get in the gym to get my gains

Q. Do you have  any tips for anyone trying to get fit?

Sovo: Make it past the first two weeks, they’re the hardest and most trying for anyone who’s starting their gym journey, hell even for us who are seasoned gym goers. 

Inspiration from Sovo

The fruits:

Katli (@KeKatli)
Q. What made you get fit?

Kat: I did 3 sports in high school so I was always really fit.. But skinny, so I just wanted to get bigger.. Now I’m unfit 

Q. How do you train? Do you have a routine or trainer?

Kat: I used to have a program and follow programs but I realise that it’s very easy to plateau when you do that and your Body changes more rapidly if you keep challenging it. And no I don’t use trainers

Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?

Kat: My diet is relatively good.. It’s the beer that’s a problem

Q. How do you stay motivated?

Kat:  I don’t wanna get fat/skinny.. That’s my motivation

Q. Do you have any tips for anyone trying to get fit?

Kat: My main tip is that you have to keep trying different things so that you can find what works for you and have a vast variety of workouts so you can keep challenging your body. Cos your body adapts and gets used to certain things and they stop being effective.. If it does that with medication then what’s a workout you know?
Inspiration from Kat

NEVER SKIP LEG DAY

Tony (@HLAKES_)

Q. What made you get fit?

Tony: I was playing rugby so the need to be ready for constant physicalities due to the nature of the game made it necessary…

 

Q. How do you train? Do you have a routine or trainer?


Tony: I have a simple but very grueling type of routine..

 I like to concentrate on a veeonody part each month so i can remain well balanced..


Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?


Tony: .I have cut down my sugar alot (3yrs without fizzy drinks) and supplemented that with fruit and water..

I try to have a cream in the morning for that fibre and nutrients from milk etc..

I have actually cut down On alot of take aways and that has made me. Save more and get some. Great results.


Q. How do you stay motivated?

Tony: Gym and growth are a bit  addictive and it becomes natural to keep. At it..

Also people complimenting your looks and all is a big boost..


Q. Any tips? 


Tony: Sometimes the gym is about alot of trial and error.. What works for other people may not necessarily work got you..


Brian (@Bryaan_A1)

Q. What made you get fit?

Brian: I was a chubby growing up and I watched a lot of WWE so I wanted to look like my favourite wrestlers. Over time it was a vanity thing. I just wanted to look great. I was also fascinated by the benefits, being healthy while looking good. Plus, healthy body breeds a healthy mind.

Q. How do you train? Do you have a routine or trainer?

Brian: When I started out, I had a mentor show me the ropes. Over time I gained experience and did it by myself. I taught myself and researched body building. Now I have my own routines which focus on compound exercises. I’m big on HIIT and resistance and strength training. I train Monday to Friday and work according to where I see myself lacking.

Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?

Brian: I’m not as disciplined as I should be. I do better during the week. I sometimes fall off over the weekend when I go out cause you can’t really eat a salad after a night out. But I always make sure I clean up in the week to come.

Q. How do you stay motivated?

Brian: I stay motivated by watching YouTube videos of people with the kind of body I want. Cult heroes like CT Fletcher, legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger inspire me, including fitness models like Mike Thurston and Ryan Terry. I follow fitness enthusiasts on my social media and their gym posts keep me focused.

Q. Any tips?

Brian: No matter how much you fall off, you can always get back on your feet. Champions aren’t made in a day. Focus on yourself, monitor your progress and never lift with your ego.


Inspiration from Brian

Thabiso (@Thabiso_XT)

Q. What made you get fit?

Thabiso: I was an athlete growing up and wanted to get back to being that and also just felt needed to live a healthier lifestyle with the type of career I have. It helps.

Q. How do you train? Do you have a trainer?

Thabiso: I started off with a trainer. Then Modise @mosensei put me onto the BodySpace App and that changed my commitment. I have a routine of workouts and days. Usually 5 times a week at the gym.

Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?

Thabiso: Diet is the most difficult thing for me. I used to be very bad. I have improved now and even do meal preps now and then. Everyone makes fun of my massive lunch bag but it’s needed to sustain the diet. Friday’s are my big cheat days.

Q. How do you stay motivated?

Thabiso: I’ve built my targets and work on slow progress. Also I’ve focused on what works for my body type. And having the app with targeted timelines and targets helps me stay motivated!

Q. Any tips?

Thabiso: First things first. Always start by figuring out what your goal is. Weight loss? Muscle build? Then do your research. Start with the eating. To be honest, once you’re into working out it’s easy. The difficult bits are staying motivated and the eating. And have fun!


Inspiration from Thabiso

Leonard (@KryptiKnight)

Q. What made you get fit?

Leonard: I’ve always wanted to be a gym guy but I didn’t know where to start. Then I bought whey protein and went in. It’s been 5 years and I still haven’t let up

Q. How do you train? Do you have a routine or trainer?

Leonard: I have my own routine but I try to switch it up every now and then because gym becomes boring when everything is repetitive. Also you start to plateau if you do the same routine over and over because your muscles and body become too used to the load and movements so it’s good to switch things up ever month so you keep your muscles guessing and working

Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?

Leonard: I don’t concentrate too much on diet, I just try to avoid soft drinks and junk and pretty much eat a lot of fruits and veg

Q. How do you stay motivated?

Leonard: I always try to set goals for myself. If I’m leg pressing 200kgs one week then I want to move up to 240 in the next couple of weeks then 280 and so on. It keeps me focused and stops me from being lazy or feeling that I’ve reached the “pinnacle of fitness”. Also I look up to others for motivation. Anthony Joshua is definitely body goals. The Rock has the sort of work ethic that I want to develop and Mike Rashid has the best body destroying workouts.

Q. Any tips?

Leonard: First and foremost, NEVER SKIP LEG DAY. Its definitely worth your while to work on legs at least twice a work. Having a well rounded body. Having a big back and chest makes your waist look smaller so I always try to work my back as often as possible. Big shoulders and chest really accentuate your figure when you wear close fitting tops so I NEVER ignore working on shoulders.

Inspiration from Leonard

Jason (@ChasingJason)


Q. What made you get fit?

Jason: I would say 70% vanity. 30% just to be healthier. I started training people because I love being “the help” I love helping get someone from a not so good state to so much better. Thats also why I’m in the nursing field.

Q. How do you train? Do you have a routine or trainer?

Jason: Been training since 2009 and since then I’ve been doing body part splits. Chest/shoulders. Back/Biceps and legs. Recently I started upper/lower, so we’ll see how that works. I happen to be a fitness trainer myself.

Q. Are you disciplined with diet or you eat as much junk as you can get away with?

Jason: I’d say I’m about 75% disciplined with diet. I make sure and meet my macro goals but I have a junk food habit that I’m trying to kick lol or atleast get down. I make sure and have my junk food at times where I know it doesn’t have that much of a negative effect on my body composition. Like if I know I ate a buncha snacks, I’ll probably do something like cut carbs heavy for the day(s) or some kinda light fast or I’ll have it after/before an insane leg day, etc. At the end of the day, I still have to fallback a bit.

Q. How do you stay motivated?

Jason: A few things give me motivation. First, myself, every time I reach a new goal whether it’s heavier weight, more reps, diff moves, an ab peeking out more, etc, it gets me hype and I keep going and going. I’m motivated also by overweight people that hit their goals and are much much happier. That’s the main 2. Also just fit people in general, especially women, when they are actually training for real, squats, deadlifts, etc, no girly stuff, I love it. Cause it’s like you’re used to seeing it from the men but when a girl does it, it’s even more impressive.

Q. Any tips?

Jason: I’d say train heavy mostly. When it comes to lifting and building muscle(hypertrophy) you wanna stay mainly in 6-8 rep range, tape onto 8-12 sometimes, even 15 on most iso work. And PLEASE PLEASE stick to the bread and butter exercises. Do not get caught up in the fancy smancy moves, most of it is for show. Like chest for example, incline/flat dumbbell/barbell bench, cable/machine flyes and push-ups is all you need to build a build. All that extra stuff can come later. Legs, squats, leg press and lunges, maybe some leg curls/extension when you’re done building. Bread and butter!!!

Inspiration from Jason

The interview process for this post was more beneficial me than any fitness article I’ve ever read. The most important takeaway for me was, do what works for you. But seek out information as much as you can. Connect with people; each one, teach one.




This post first appeared on Fit Black Woman, please read the originial post: here

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