Every now and then we need to step back and take stock of our health. Are we doing enough to look after ourselves and maintain a balanced lifestyle?

We have all heard the words: regular physical activity and a healthy diet are important factors in maintaining a healthy weight, as well as preventing and managing chronic illnesses. However, can we all hand-on-heart say we abide by them?

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found that in 2017-2018 only 17 per cent of adults met both the physical activity and muscle strengthening activity guidelines. With overwhelming statistics like this, it is time we prioritised ourselves and aimed to be an ‘Everyday Athlete’.

How to be an Everyday Athlete

Veronica Lee from the Sport and Aquatic Centre has a passion for fitness and explores the current lifestyle of the general population as well as ways in which we can implement small changes over time to form lifelong habits that are sustainable.

As a trainer that has worked in the fitness industry for four years, Veronica has a front row seat to the trends that come and go.

“We’ve seen group training in the form of bootcamps, Crossfit, HIIT training, ‘functional fitness’, wearable technology, yoga, pilates and a whole lot more,” she says. However, she questions whether these methods of popular activity allow for long term success as an Everyday Athlete.

“Health should be holistic and I’m now conscious that my role as a trainer has evolved to become a health educator.”

After working with numerous clients in the form of one-on-one training and group training, Veronica’s goal is not simply providing a workout or training session that challenges the participant physically. “My responsibility is to problem-solve with my clients and to share my knowledge on how to give you the best chance of success with sustainable lifestyle changes.

“The Everyday Athlete is someone who values health as a long-term commitment and looks at developing habits that are repeatable, sustainable and allows for longevity.”

The Triple Seven Rule

Action plans are the best methods to create fitness goals that keep you accountable where the focus is on the process and not the outcome. One principle Veronica believes in and has had success with her clients is the ‘Triple Seven Rule’ that relies on the fundamentals of walk, water and sleep (WWS)

The principle of the Triple Seven Rule is simple:

Walk –7000 steps/day, seven days a week
Water – seven glasses of water, seven days a week
Sleep – seven hours of sleep, seven days a week

“These three principles promote sustainable lifestyle changes that discourage the notion of quick fixes for short term health benefits, because at the end of the day, everyone can maximise their potential by simply adopting an Everyday Athlete mindset.”

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Check out the Sport and Aquatic Centre to find out how they can help you on your way to your fitness goals.