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by Ben Hackney-Williams on Sunday, 4 August 2024
Whether you’re working on the mental preparation for competitions such as HYROX training and overcoming fitness barriers, or starting small with fitness on your journey to better health, the guide below will help.
A member of Team Myzone, avid heart rate training fan, and the ultimate boss of burpees, Zaid shares his six tips for building lasting fitness habits.
1. Smile to overcome fear and fitness barriers
“There can be multiple types of barriers that I’ve found. Some of them can be in your mind just through either fear or nerves. So coming up to a competition that I’ve never done before, I don’t know how to gauge or set the standard for my pace or just for myself. Once I’ve done it, I know it’s OK.
“For example, with a HYROX, while other people get in the zone and focus in their way, I know that if I just start the race with a smile on my face then that overcomes any fear and nervousness.”
2. Use magnesium oil and CBD for recovery
“From a physical perspective, it’s just a case of being kind to yourself. In the past I’ve had a routine of setting my alarm and getting up, even if I hadn’t slept well. Now I feel that it’s OK – you can have an off day.
“If I feel like I’ve got a tweak or a niggle coming on, I’ll just try and lower the intensity or go for a nice walk. I’ll make sure that I’m using my magnesium oil, my CBD, and my cooling bars, as well as massage guns – just trying to do what I can to get the inputs right to get the right outputs.
“Also, drink plenty of water and focus on nutrition… That’s really key for me.”
3. Appreciate the importance of sleep, sunshine, and staying ready
“To manage effort levels during workout sessions, I feel like you can use a good night’s sleep, plenty of water, and good nutrition over the past few days; then I feel fresh, ready to go, and I can maintain the high echelons of the heart rate zones.
“I use Myzone and I can see how long I can hold the yellow and red zones, and how long it takes me to recover. If I finish a session and I feel good, I know I’ve entered that session well and I’m going to leave that session well.
“If the whole thing is in the red zone, or I struggled to even get to red, I know I should have had more recovery beforehand.
“For me it’s all about nature’s remedies – sleep, sunshine when we can get it, water, and just getting out for a walk to break up your day.”
4. Get an ultra-marathon mindset
“We live in such a digital age where it’s so easy to feel intimidated from what you see on Instagram, for example. But you know what? Fitness, nutrition, life… It’s an ultra-marathon.
“Someone didn’t get that fit overnight. You can’t get fit just out of thin air. Take action. Even the smallest of actions create results, which breeds more results.
“It can be small things like walking, or taking the stairs. People who are intimidated on where to start… Just do something. You’ll soon see results and enjoy it.”
5. Create new fitness habits
“They say it takes, what, three weeks to gain a new habit, and three months for it to be a lifestyle choice. As you progress through that timescale, it won’t be you telling yourself that you have to do this, it’ll be you saying that you want to do this and you’ll feel great doing it.”
6. Don’t let anything stop you
“Stay accountable and take ownership – that’s an important thing in all facets of life. Don’t let anything stop you from going for a run, or going for a walk, or lifting some weights. You can always find a way if you truly believe in something. The only thing stopping you, in most cases, is yourself.
“Myzone is not just a device that keeps you accountable, it’s something that grew from that, I’m finding. It’s a very global and diverse set of people that aren’t all necessarily athletes, but all have something to offer.
“Anyone can wear it. Anyone has the right to move their body and track their effort. Myzone gives that to people. The physical benefit is one thing, but also with mental health and the stresses of daily life – those endorphins, especially in the morning, that is the biggest natural reliever of mental health issues and stress.
“Even just going for a walk is a much healthier way of coping and dealing with stress as opposed to prescription-based drugs and things like that.”
Find out more Zaid's take on HIIT, heart rate training, and how to live happy.