3 Books to Read at the Start of Your Fitness Journey
Reading has become a staple in my life and I credit a lot of my mindset and focus to this habit. When I was younger, I was never really interested in it, always preferring to be outdoors. As I got older, however, I became more curious to learn about others' minds and how they overcame challenges - absorbing real-life stories and taking inspiration from them.
Fast forward to now, I have read a ton of books by people and this continues to inspire me, give me new perspectives, things to action and apply in my life. Basically, it’s provided me with a whole lot of wisdom.
At the Beyond Strong Method, we work together for longer than three months to get close to achieving the results that you want to. Reading is part of that, helping you gain knowledge as you progress and applying that in your life.
These are the top three books that I recommend to clients when starting their fitness journey:
1. Atomic Habits - James Clear
This book is gold. It is the first port of call for everyone to understand their behaviours - how you can break bad habits and create good ones. Having awareness on your journey is going to help you long term.
One of my favourite all time quotes from James Clear:
“Every action is a vote for the type of person you’re becoming.”
“The more a habit becomes part of your life, the less you need outside encouragement to follow through. Incentives can start a habit. Identity sustains a habit.”
This is so key in your journey because your identity is everything. If you’re holding onto an old self, “Oh I’m a lazy person, oh I never finish things so why bother,” instead focus on words that create a new narrative. This could be: “I just need to focus on what’s in front of me and keep trying new things to get me closer to where I want to be,” or “I can do this, I must do this, I am capable.”
Focus on the new habits you’re developing that make you feel good, and focus on who and what is in your surrounding environment to keep this shift happening.
Key takeaways:
It is easier to build new habits in a new environment because you are not fighting against old cues
Small changes in context can lead to large changes in behaviour over time
Habit stacking makes things simple
You can also sign up to his newsletter here or catch him on Instagram to get daily reminders and lessons to apply with you day to day.
Let’s use the James Habit Stacking technique here when it comes to reading the book. Before I switch the light off before I sleep, I will read 10 pages of my book. After I have brushed my teeth I will read for 10 minutes. Before I reach for my phone in the morning I will read 10 pages (this also helps you not connect with your phone first thing!).
The key is to start small and build it up from there, one step at a time.
2. Train the Brave - Margie Warrell
This one is for the mind. If you’re feeling less confident or brave, stuck in your ways, or keep falling short of your true potential, try this book. It has been one I always return to - it just speaks to me and what is going on in my life.
“Living bravely requires living powerfully from choice.”
Owning your daily choices helps you to recognise what has brought you to where you are now, and what you need to do to get to your future self. In short, if you're doing something brave every day, you’re building your courage up, just like you would when you’re training your muscles.
A curious mind will take you further than a clever one.
The philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote once: “The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” It’s about learning to let go of some of the information you’ve been absorbing and which has ultimately led you to this current place, and learning the new knowledge required to take you to where you want to go in the future.
This book transformed my thinking. It taught me to continually lean into the things that challenge me. The curiosity to know what’s on the other side is far greater than the comfort of staying where I am.
There are many key principles in this book that are so relatable and easy to begin - use it to become aware and start taking action in your life.
3. Who Moved My Cheese - Dr Spencer Johnson
This is a super short but effective book. Change isn’t easy so if we draw it back to simple terms and identify where you stand, you’re able to start taking action that is more suited to you
The truths in this book are profound. It’s a light-hearted story of four different characters who live in a maze looking for cheese to make them happy. (Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life.)
This book will help you to: anticipate change, adapt to change quickly, enjoy change, be ready to change quickly, again and again.
“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”
“Old beliefs do not lead you to new change”
This book is a must - the lessons are so simple but they will help you to start applying the mindset to your life.
I often reference these three books. The best part is that they are easy to come back to, reference, and apply in your life. This is just the beginning of your journey, though. Find your path to reading, fuel your mind, get curious, and be open to new perspectives.
Coach tips:
These three things I do with every book since 2018 and I am still doing it because they help me retain more information, take action and I know the authors. Seems basic but I never bothered to remember things I read (pointless really), this helped my learning. Find what works for you.
(1) Highlight key sentences that speak out to you, so when you come back to the book you can see the key learnings. My highlighters go everywhere with me.
(2) Keep it simple with your habit - 10 pages a morning and/or night, one book a month, or 10 minutes of reading a day.
(3) Write out a short summary in the notes section of your phone, describing what you’ve learnt and takeaways from the book - the reflection helps to reinforce what you have just learnt.
Check out more information about us at @lizziewrighty and @wearebeyondstrong
