A personal trainer shares the five things you need to prioritize for results in the gym after she got sick of hearing things she didn’t believe to be true.
Sydney’s Sophie Allen said that even though the fitness industry is a noisy place, there are really only five things you need to think about if you want to get your dream body this summer.
These include adjusting your protein intake, being mindful of your sleep and recovery, and managing your stress.
A personal trainer has shared the five things you need to prioritize for results in the gym after she got sick of hearing things she didn’t think were true (pictured Sophie Allen)
The first thing Sophie (pictured) says you need to think about the results you can expect in the gym, but also your sleep and your recovery – which is most important
1. Sleep and Recovery
The first thing Sophie said is that you need to think about the results you can expect in the gym, but also your sleep and your recovery.
‘It’s number one for a reason, and probably the most underrated,’ Sophie wrote on her website.
‘Sleep has a huge impact on every part of our health including our mood, digestion, appetite, energy and performance.’
Without seven to nine hours, PT said you’d find everything “too hard” and you’d probably overeat, just because you’re tired.
Along with getting good shut-eye, she said you should make sure you schedule in rest days from time to time, as this is when your muscle stores increase.
Before Sophie knew what to do with her body for best results, she said she used to pay attention to how much cardio she was doing, but what really mattered was the weights (pictured)
2. Weight Training
Sophie recommends upping your protein intake to feel full
Before Sophie knew exactly what to do with her body for the best results, she said she used to pay attention to how much cardio she was doing and how many calories she was burning.
But really, PT said you need to prioritize resistance training over cardio, because “that’s how you’ll build muscle and change your actual body composition.”
“Be sure to follow a structured training program, and always aim for progressive overload,” says Sophie.
Progressive overload occurs when you gradually increase the weight, frequency or number of repetitions in your strength training routine.
In the past, Sophie (pictured before and after) has shared how she’s managed to transform her body with weight training
3. Daily Movement
Instead of obsessing over daily cardio, PT said what you need to do is just try and move your body more throughout the day.
‘Normal movement really does little for both fat loss and overall health,’ says Sophie.
The easiest way to do this is to set a daily step goal, whether it’s 8,000 steps, 10,000 steps or even more.
‘Targeting a step will also increase your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which helps increase energy production during a deficit,’ says Sophie.
If you struggle to get your steps in, try building up how many you want to take in small increments to make it more achievable.
4. Protein intake
While it’s important to pay attention to your diet and what you’re eating overall, Sophie explained that protein intake is key to weight loss in the gym.
“Instead of focusing on all your macros, which can be quite intimidating if you’re new to tracking, just focus on your protein intake and total calories,” she said.
Protein is great for weight loss and gym results, as it helps you grow and maintain muscle, and also improves recovery.
Finally, Sophie adds that if you ever want to see the numbers go up on the scales, you need to start thinking about managing your stress – whether it’s through meditation, journaling or walking.
5. Stress Management
Finally, Sophie said that if you ever want to see the numbers move on the scales, you need to start thinking about managing your stress.
‘Stress has a huge impact on our ability to recover, and it also affects how we lose weight,’ he added.
When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to retain both water weight and bloating, which makes fat loss more difficult.
You’re more likely to stress eat, simply because you have something else on your mind.
‘Make sure you’re taking time for yourself,’ and scheduling regular “you” time,’ says Sophie.
Some of her favorites are running, journaling, hot baths and guided meditation.
