SHAPING UP: When you don’t feel like doing your workout, just ‘show up for yourself’

"I put on my workout clothes, laced up my running trainers, and took myself out of the house."

The other day I was not feeling my workout. In fact, I was dreading it.

The plan was to go for a run after I had taken my son, Max, to football training.

It was windy, dark and cold.

I kept making all sorts of excuses not to work out.

It wasn’t because I needed a day off. It was just one of those days.

So here’s what I did …

I put on my workout clothes, laced up my running trainers, and took myself out of the house.

I told myself: “Just go easy for 10 minutes, and if you still don’t want to run, then just walk home.”

And, you guessed it - after 10 minutes, I felt so much better I decided to keep going.

Was it my best run ever? No.

But it didn’t have to be.

The important thing was that I showed up for myself.

The workouts you don’t want to do are the most important.

They solidify your commitment to yourself, your health, fitness, and your goals. They lay the groundwork.

So the next time you are thinking of ditching your healthy habits … tell yourself: just 10 minutes.

PS: If you’re ready to start showing up for yourself and get an extra boost of accountability from me and our brilliant members, take a minute to see what’s included in my programmes before spots fill up.. www.eastcoast-fitness.com

Let Graham tell you his story by way of his biog:-

“When I left school, I spent four years as a professional footballer at Hartlepool United.

“I had a reasonably successful, short career, winning international tournaments with the youth team, making my professional debut in 2005.

"Winning Young Player Of The Year in the same year, we reached the League 1 Play-Off Final.“More importantly, during this time, I learned a great deal about exercise and nutrition and how to get the best out of your body.

"When my football career ended due to injury, I qualified as a personal trainer before moving to Dubai, where I worked in a huge gym.“Working in Dubai was a priceless experience; I instructed over 1,000 personal training sessions in one year and helped over 50 people achieve their fitness goals.

"The knowledge I gained in one year in Dubai would have taken at least five in the UK.“When I returned from Dubai, I took on the role of gym supervisor and personal trainer at the five-star Seaham Hall Hotel and Serenity Spa.

"It was at Seaham Hall that I set up my first boot camp.

"They went from strength to strength and grew very quickly.

While there, I won the Leisure Excellence Award at the North East Hotels Association.

"I left Seaham Hall in 2012 to focus on running my own business. I held the boot camp sessions in local car parks and travelled to personal training clients to train them at home.”

Graham’s colleague David Skinner says: “My journey in the fitness industry started as soon as I left school in 2018.

"From this point I went on to study Sport and Exercise Sciences for two years; this is where I discovered my passion for fitness and within three months of starting the course, I began my own journey within the gym.

“I started at East Coast Fitness in January 2022, delivering bootcamps, as well as Beginners Bootcamps, Small Group PT and also some one to one PT Sessions.

"I work to help clients and members become the best versions of themselves and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.”

Graham adds that: “The idea behind East Coast Fitness services is to help you get more active, become healthier, feel great, gain confidence and live life to the fullest.”