What if I can’t exercise due to an injury?
I have provided you with plenty of swap out workouts for low impact if you do have an injury. However, I do need you to reach out if there is anything specific you are concerned about. Drop me an email at– anna@annacousins.com and I will endeavour to help you and send you a replacement workout that suits you. You will also not jeopardise your weight loss lifestyle by adjusting your plan or taking the time needed to recover. Just do what you can – go for a walk each day until you can get back to working out.
What if I find the exercises too challenging?
I have provided a Level 1 plan which can be found towards the end of the fitness workouts – so try these until you feel you can progress.
What if I don’t want to do high impact exercises?
I have provided you with some low impact workouts that you can use as swap-outs
What if I have a week off the exercise due to other commitments?
That’s fine, we are only human and we all have busy lives so it is inevitable that we will take some time off. What I need you to understand is that just because you can’t train doesn’t mean that you can’t continue your healthy lifestyle. Just get back into it when you can.
How long should I exercise for?
This completely depends on the intensity that you work at. For some of us, we only need to work out for short periods as we can push ourselves to the limit – I have explained intensity levels previously in this document. Ideally, you want to be working out for at least 30 minutes at a time, but you can build up to this if you are completely new to exercise and extend it to 1 hour if you prefer to work at a lower intensity.
What is the best time to exercise – morning, afternoon, evening?
This all depends on you and your energy levels. I personally have more energy on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and struggle in the evenings. But others are the reverse, so work out when you feel it is best for you and when you have the most energy. Also, if you know that you are busy in the evenings then aim to do your workout in the morning. Exercise during the day promotes the onset and quality of sleep. But you need to exercise at the right time: the ideal time for exercise is in the morning. Exercising late in the day can contribute to sleeplessness because exercise causes an increase in your body’s energy.
Do I need any equipment?
No, I have provided workouts that just use bodyweight, but I have included swap out workouts that involve the use of weights for those that do have equipment. Please ask me if you would like additional weights workouts and I will send you some.
What should I do if I am too tired to exercise?
Exercise gives you energy and boosts your mood. There are plenty of times where I feel so tired that the thought of a workout is not appealing at all, but you will be surprised at how once you get going, your energy levels will pick up. I often have had the best workouts off the back of trying to talk myself out of it because I am tired. That said if you are exhausted and feel that you do not have the energy for anything, then it is best to rest or try to go for a walk rather than doing a tough workout.
What should I do if I don’t have time in my day to exercise?
No problem – I have provided you with a range of short workouts – just 5 minutes! There is also a 5-minute daily challenge zone on my website, so you can always give those a go if you are looking for a change from the ones that I have provided. I am certain everyone can find just 5 minutes in any day for a quick session.
What if I am struggling with the workout plans and understanding the exercises?
I have a technique zone on my website so I recommend using that, but please feel free to ask me if there is anything that you are struggling with and I will endeavour to help – anna@annacousins.com
What if I am not seeing results?
My guess is that if you are not seeing results then you have set yourself too many goals and you will end up burning yourself out and progress will become slow. Make sure you are tracking your progress by measuring yourself and also by using the fitness test workouts. The tests are a great way to track your progression, every 8 weeks should give you a good indication as to how the plan is working for you. I see it all the time as a trainer – people expect too much too soon and it is not until they re-do their fitness test that they realise how far they have come. Keep focused and make sure you make time for your training sessions. Switch off from outside distractions as much as possible and put maximum effort into your sessions. It is very easy to go through the motions and not put in maximum effort. You can’t expect to see results from just being present for a session – you have to focus and work hard. You may also want to look at your nutrition if you are not already – please ask me if you need any help with anything.