With only days remaining of 2023, it’s natural for us to start to reflect on the past year — and we can’t do that without including our fitness journey. The end of the year is the perfect time to take into consideration how far you’ve come in your Lagree fitness journey, what you want to take with you, and what is better left behind as you transition into the new year.
Just like a reflection in the mirror looking back at you, a thoughtful reflection on your fitness progress is illuminating. When it comes to long-term success and overall well-being, reflection is an essential tool.
Looking Back: The Lagree Fitness Year in Review
When you look back on your year and your Lagree fitness journey, it’s important to keep in mind your personal achievements. Spend some time being grateful for the improvements and transformations you’ve made. And, of course, reflect on the challenges you faced and give yourself a pat on the pat for making it through them.
Personal Achievements and Milestones
As with the list of benefits, your list of achievements is sure to be a long one when it comes to your Lagree experience.
Strength Improvements
There’s no doubt about it: You’ve experienced an improvement in your overall strength if you’ve been consistent with your fitness routine.
From mastering the Megaformer's challenging moves to building up to a heavier spring load, recognize any unexpected feats of physical prowess that came your way this last year. Reflect on the specific exercises or movements that once seemed impossible and celebrate the progress made. Don’t forget to make note of how an increase in strength may have positively impacted other areas of your life.
Endurance Gains
Not only is Lagree notorious for its ability to improve strength, but in the fitness world, it’s the best way to push physical limits. Think about how your stamina has evolved throughout the year. Not only can you execute moves that you formerly deemed ‘too dang difficult,’ but you can also sustain those challenging movements for longer durations.
And now I’m sure you can power through a Lagree class without feeling fatigued and wondering if you’ll be able to even get out of bed the next day. Lagree is surely to thank for this but don’t forget to acknowledge all of your sweat, effort, and commitment that contributed to these endurance gains.
Body Transformation
Let’s face it — there’s no feeling like feeling good in your own body…. Well, except for feeling FABULOUS in it! Makes sense why we avoid mirrors when we’re not feeling our best, and then tend to seek them out when we’re feeling great. The mirror’s reflection doesn’t lie — whether you trimmed off inches from your waist or created more definition in those nicely toned arms, your perseverance on your Lagree fitness journey this past year made all the difference.
The elevated confidence and positive self-image that you’ll experience with a transformation in your overall physique are like special bonuses that just come with the territory.
Challenges Faced and Overcome
No Lagree fitness journey would be complete without some hurdles to face. Let’s take a brief moment to reflect on the harder moments this past year and how you overcame them.
Plateaus in Progress
In the world of fitness plateauing is a common phenomenon. This is when you realize your progress seems to stall despite putting in consistent effort. Were there any standout moments this past year when you felt stuck or questioned the effectiveness of your Lagree routine?
Did you manage to navigate through these plateaus effectively? Perhaps you had to modify your workout or seek guidance from your certified instructor. Recognizing these plateaus is an essential step in understanding your body and refining your practice.
The longer you stay with any fitness regimen, the more often you’ll have to deal with plateaus. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t mean you need a new workout routine it simply means you need to readjust your current one. That might mean supplementing with additional types of workouts, but if you up your resistance, decrease the rest time in between movements, and prioritize the Lagree time under tension philosophy, you’re likely to find your solution there.
Mental Hurdles
We know the power of the mind, and so it should be no surprise that it plays a crucial role in your Lagree fitness journey. Mental hurdles, including impatience, frustration, and self-doubt, can impede progress.
Consider instances where your mental resilience was tested and how you pushed through. Just like you had to make adjustments within your workout routine, adjusting your mindset is no different.
Lagree is not just a physical workout but a mental one, and overcoming these challenges is a testament to how much you’ve grown and will continue to in the year to come.
Balancing Fitness With Other Life Commitments
One of the ongoing challenges you’ll face is finding the delicate balance between fitness and all of your other commitments in life. Juggling being a good parent, a spouse or partner, an employee, a friend, a daughter, a sister, and any other titles you might have is no easy feat.
If you haven’t discovered it yet, making fitness a priority is the key to being successful in your Lagree fitness journey. Now, I’m not suggesting that you put it at the top of your list and make it more important than spending time with your loved ones, but if you think about it in terms of self-care, it certainly isn’t something to neglect.
How many times have you heard someone say they didn’t have time to work out because of work or other commitments? What if they shifted their mindset so that fitness was right up there along with work and other life events? This is when that mental resilience comes in handy.
Lessons Learned
One of the most significant parts of a journey is the lessons learned from your experiences and how well you can implement those as you continue on your path.
Discovering Personal Strengths
Although a favorite benefit of the method, Lagree extends way beyond physical strength. It's about uncovering your mental and emotional fortitude within. Pause for a second here and close your eyes. Reflect on a moment when you surprised yourself with resilience, determination, or discipline.
Are you picturing yourself on the Megaformer, persevering through an incredibly challenging class?
Discovering these personal strengths creates a deeper connection with your fitness commitment and enhances your overall well-being.
Recognizing Areas for Improvement
Acknowledging areas that require improvement is a crucial aspect of growth. It’s simply part of the reflection process. Think about aspects of your Lagree fitness practice that may need refining — whether it's consistency, form, or nutritional choices. This awareness serves as a foundation for future progress.
Embracing the Journey, Not Just the Destination
Embracing the journey and doing your best to enjoy it is one of my favorite reminders, not just in fitness, but in life. In our fast-paced world, where instant gratification and overnight success are sought after, it’s not so difficult to get caught up in solely focusing on the destination. But if you live your life that way, you’re bound to miss out on all the in-between moments — the moments that define your life.
So remind yourself today, and every day, that your fitness journey is an experience, and to take it in fully — the good, the bad, the ugly, the sad…. And make it your own.
Setting New Goals
As the new year approaches, it’s that time when we all start thinking about resolutions or new goals. And there’s a reason gyms and fitness studios are overcrowded in January — fitness goals are one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions.
Reevaluating Your Current Fitness Level
But before setting new goals, you have to objectively assess your current fitness level. Keep in mind your strengths and areas for improvement, taking into account the lessons learned over the past year. An honest evaluation is the best foundation for setting realistic and achievable goals.
Don’t join the masses and get burnt out in February and March. If you take time to reflect and create your new goals, you can make sure they are sustainable for you.
Identifying Specific Lagree Goals
The more specific you are with your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. That’s why generic goals such as getting in shape, losing weight, and working out more are better off left behind in 2023.
Strength Targets
Set specific strength goals that align with Lagree fitness principles. Whether it's mastering a challenging move, increasing resistance, or taking a specific number of classes per week, outline measurable objectives that propel you forward.
Flexibility Objectives
Lagree emphasizes flexibility as an integral component of overall fitness. But unfortunately, it’s an often forgotten aspect when it comes to what people focus on when setting goals.
Take a minute to think about your current flexibility levels. Then, establish goals that enhance your range of motion. This could involve incorporating dedicated stretching sessions or focusing on specific Lagree moves that promote flexibility.
The important thing to remember here is that stretching before and after any workout helps you avoid potential injuries. And an improvement in flexibility supports how you move your body in your daily life.
Overall Wellness Goals
Beyond the physical aspects, consider holistic wellness goals. These may include incorporating mindfulness practices, improving sleep hygiene, or prioritizing nutritional choices. Luckily, with Lagree, you get a comprehensive mind-body experience. Your fitness journey is one part of your overall health and wellness and you’ll maximize your fitness goals when you accompany them with other wellness goals.
Creating a Realistic Timeline for Achievement
When setting new goals, make sure to consider your schedule and other life commitments. Set yourself up for success by creating realistic goals, which include a practical timeline for accomplishing them.
There’s a fine line between being overly ambitious and letting yourself off the hook. On one hand, you are going to struggle to achieve the goals, and on the other you won’t feel too proud when you do reach them if they were too easy to begin with.
You want to create goals that are challenging, yet sustainable — this will leave you feeling fulfilled on your fitness journey.
Conclusion
As we wrap up this reflection on your Lagree fitness journey, we also wrap up the year behind us. Remember that the journey is ongoing and don’t forget to celebrate the victories, learn from the challenges, and embrace the growth that comes with each class you take. This growth extends beyond the studio and into all areas of your life.
When you made the decision to embark on a Lagree journey, not only did you sign up for a killer workout, but you opted for an amazing lifestyle. And if you’re new to Lagree, what better time than a new year to sign up for your first class!
With a renewed sense of purpose and realistic goals jotted down, step into 2024 and make it the best year of your fitness journey yet. And as you enter the new year with confidence and resilience, you can hold onto the unwavering belief that the best is yet to come!
