OH! Magazine - Australian Version June 2016 | Page 19

(Women’s Health)
NARDIA
NORMAN

10 THINGS YOU NEED
TO STOP DOING
Nardia Norman shares this list of things you should stop doing
- for the sake of your health.

A

s a personal trainer, here are are the top ten things I wish
my clients would stop doing.

1. Stop equating the amount you sweat with effectivness
Here’s the thing: anyone can make anyone sweat – that’s not
rocket science. Anyone can run someone, make them jump and
do ridiculous amounts of burpees but that does not mean it’s an
effective way to train. There are plenty of non-sweat sessions that
are exceptionally effective.
2. Stop equating muscle soreness with effectiveness
You do not have to be sore all the time. The key to any good
session is to make sure that you stimulate the muscle not
annihilate it.
3. Stop expecting to train hard when you haven’t taken care of other
important lifestyle factors (e.g. sleep, nutrition, stress)

7. Stop expecting to be entertained in each session
If you want to be entertained go to the movies. If you want
progression then focus on what your trainer is giving you. Sure,
variety is interesting and it is important to enjoy what you do,
but wanting new exercises each week will not help you progress
(the caveat being, if your goal is general health then maybe this
would work).
8. Stop saying ‘I’m here to switch off’ but still expect a hard session
No, just no. You need to switch ON at the gym. This is your
opportunity to truly connect with your body. To feel it. To feel
the muscles working as you concentrate on form. Most people’s
issue is that they’re already ‘switched’ off to their body – that’s
the problem. If you want to work out hard or do exercises with
weights, you need to be focused and switched on. If you want
to switch off, then perhaps go and have a massage.
9. Stop beating yourself up

Honestly, how do you expect to train if you haven’t set your body
up for success? Training is energetically demanding and it’s pretty
hard to train with intensity and focus if you have no fuel in the
tank, are tired and distracted, or are incredibly stressed. Take
care of your lifestyle and then you will be primed to train harder.
5. Stop thinking that you are only allowed to eat 1,200 calories
If you want to improve your body shape you need to fuel your
body. Effective fat loss goes beyond just eating less and exercising
more, you need to eat to meet your training demands. Otherwise
you become tired, ‘hangry’, weak and a pain (I say that lovingly).
6. Stop signing up for multiple programs and switching between them
Commit to one program and then follow through on it. You need
to give your body a chance to adapt. Mixing up your programs may
be fun, but it probably won’t get you results (other than body
shape maintenence or health improvements).

You cannot beat your body into submission. Sure it might work
for a while but that approach is not going to be sustainable.
Why hate on yourself and punish yourself with relentless
exercise and rigid rules? Try reframing your thinking so that
training and movement is a form of nourishment for your body.
Do it because it makes you feel good. Do it from a place of selflove not self-hate.
10. Stop comparing your progression to everyone else
How you are progressing should only be measured against
yourself. Not other people. It doesn’t matter what other people
look like or how much they are lifting. The only thing that
matters is that you keep inching forward at your own pace and
in your own time.
YOU CAN CONTACT NARDIA VIA:
Web: nardianorman.com
Facebook: nardia.norman
Twitter: @nardianorman
Instagram: @nardianorman

( OH! MAGAZINE ) JUNE 2016

19