Maria Pearson Coaching

Today I walked home up the hill carrying a heavy shopping bag from the supermarket.

That’s a real world situation where we have to carry heavy things.

We don’t weigh our shopping bags before we lift them.

In daily life, you just have to carry what’s there.

But often in the gym, we look at the weights and say “I can only carry 4 kg or 8 kg. I’m not ready to carry or lift more yet.”

So that’s what training and practising in the gym is all about.

Being ready for real world situations that we encounter.

Train, practice, be intentional.

This September at Maria Pearson Coaching, our motto is:

Practice what you want to keep.

Staying strong, capable, robust, and independent as we age doesn’t happen by accident. It’s something we can actively train for.

The key is to practice the skills, strength, balance, and movements we want to keep doing for years, and even decades, to come.

Think about the everyday movements that help you stay independent:

- Balancing on one foot
- Climbing up and down stairs
- Reaching and lifting overhead
- Lifting and carrying heavy things
- Getting up and down from a chair
- Getting down onto and up from the floor
- Recovering your balance and preventing falls

These aren’t just exercises. They’re investments in your future self.

So this month, be intentional. Choose the movements and abilities you want to keep doing decades from now, and start practising them today.

Practice what you want to keep. Your future self will thank you!

It’s so easy to find reasons not to move our bodies and exercise consistently:

- It’s too cold
- I’ll start on Monday
- I’m too busy with work
- I don’t know how to start lifting weights
- I don’t like the exercise classes at the gym
- I’m not a morning person, and after work doesn’t suit me

The truth is, getting started can be difficult.

So make it easier on yourself.

Choose an activity you actually enjoy. Find a workout partner. Start small. Give yourself the best opportunity to succeed.

You don’t need the perfect workout, the perfect time, or the perfect conditions.

Just do something.

Then do it again tomorrow.

It’s never too late to start.

No matter your age, moving your body can make a positive difference. You can build strength, improve your confidence, and feel stronger with simple movements that suit you.

Whether it’s lifting weights, squats, lunges, or sit-to-stands, every step counts, and you can start exactly where you are.

Need a little guidance or support to get started?

Contact Maria on 021 157 3885. It would be wonderful to work together and help you feel stronger, healthier, and more confident!

On the weekend, I was a speaker at the Love Heart NZ day of learning in Napier.

What a cool initiative!

Four speakers, one hour each, delivering information and inspiration on our health and wellness specialties.

Check out Love Heart to find out more about their upcoming workshops and learning lunches.

Why do you work out?

Your reason is your motivation and your goal is your direction.

Ask yourself - what am I working towards?

We all have different goals.

Having a clear purpose will help you stay focused, motivated, and committed - even on the days when you don’t feel like training.

You might want to work out to:

- lose weight and feel healthier
- get stronger and build confidence
- build energy and improve your fitness
- be able to play with your grandchildren
- strengthen your mindset and discipline
- reach a personal goal and prove to yourself what you’re capable of
- lay down a foundation and reserve of strength and fitness as you get older

Set your goal and put in the work. The goal will help you to stay on track.

Every workout is a step closer to becoming the strongest version of you.

Want to get stronger and fitter? You need to keep challenging yourself.

Progressive overload is about gradually increasing the demands you place on your body—lifting heavier, working for longer, moving further, or moving faster.

Our bodies adapt to the challenges we give it. When we gradually and consistently push beyond what we’ve done before, we give our bodies a reason to get stronger, fitter, and more capable.

Don’t be afraid to progress. Challenge yourself. Adapt. Get stronger.

Because if we don't increase the challenge, we can’t really expect changes or improvements.