Why you need to know the number 130 if you are working towards a fitness goal

Have you ever started a fitness program and got frustrated because you didn’t see results as fast as you wanted to? We have all been there. After a week or so going hard in the gym and with your diet, looking at the scale or the mirror can be frustrating if you do not see any changes. I am right here with you.

It wasn’t until I learned about the number 130 that I gained the perspective and patience I needed to really make and see results in my health.

The rule of 130

The rule of 130 tells you how much time you need to spend on your fitness to see results, and with that you can determine how fast you will see results. It will take you 130 hours of deliberate training to see considerable changes in your fitness.

This means if you train for 1 hour 5 days a week, you will see results in a little over 6 months. But here is where 130 can be manipulated if you have more or less time.

How can the rule of 130 help you?

If you want to see results in your fitness fast, then you will need to increase training so that you decrease the amount of weeks it will take to reach your goal.

If you want to see results in 12 weeks (3 months), then you need to work out for 1.5 hours every day for 12 weeks, or 2 hours 5 days a week.

If you want to see results in 1 year, then all you need is 35 minutes a day.

You can change the equation depending on the limiting factor. For most people that is how fast or slow they want to see changes.

How does the rule of 130 work against you?

Sadly, fitness is something that cannot be bought, gifted, or stolen. You have to put in the time and work if you want to see results. In other words this means if you do not give your time to your training, you will not see the results you want.

This has been very difficult for me as a new mom. Now that my time is not my own, I struggle with putting in my 130. There are days that the only way I am getting a workout in, is if I let my child scream while I workout at home, or I stick her in front of the TV. That doesn’t really work for me. Now that I have much less control over my time, I have had to get creative with my exercise.

Getting in shape is a priority for me and now I will not let anything get in my way of getting my 35 minutes a day. I do extra time on days where I can, but I told myself I can find 35 minutes a day to transform my life for the next year.

Things I do to MAKE Time to Work Out:

1. Wake up early:

I personally have an interesting situation where I am not a single parent, but my husband is a truck driver so he is not home most nights. This means I do not have someone to tag team with. Some days if I want to workout, then I have to wake up nice and early.

This can be difficult at times because there are nights when my daughter doesn’t go to bed until midnight or keeps me up all night. On those days, I sleep in and accept that I will have to find time elsewhere in the day.

If the morning is the only time you have in your day, but it is difficult for you to wake up here are some tips:

1. Go to bed earlier. Go to bed at 10 and wake up at 6, or 9 and 5. Whatever fits your schedule.
2. Set your alarm on the other side of your room so you have to get up to turn it off.
3. Have a buddy who will call you to make sure you woke up.
4. Leave a glass of water by your bed and chug it right when you wake up
5. Or drink a bunch of water before bed so you have to use the restroom in the morning
6. Watching the sunset and sunrise everyday has been linked to better sleep.

2. When in doubt walk it out

Most of the time, there is time in your day when you can take a walk. For me, as a mom, I push my 1 year old in the stroller to the park everyday after breakfast. If you have multiple kids look on facebook marketplace for a used wagon or multi-child stroller. When my daughter and her cousin go on walks together they love sitting in the red wagon.

Other times you can go for walks would be:

• When you take phone calls. If you work remote or from a cell phone you should be able to take calls on the go.
• On a treadmill (standing desk treadmill)
• Replace 30 minutes of netflix with 30 minutes of walking

You will not regret getting outside and taking a walk. You need sunshine everyday. Going outside will increase your mood and help you get better sleep at night. Google Andrew Huberman morning routine and you will learn what I mean.

3. Go to bed late

Some people are evening workout people. If working out before bed doesn’t mess with your sleep, then go for it. There are definitely days when the only time I find to workout is after my baby has gone to bed.

4. Find an accountability buddy

There is something powerful when you have someone following up with you about your exercise. My husband checks in to make sure I took the time to workout. Knowing that at the end of the day he is going to ask me if I was able to workout, motivates me to make it happen so I do not have to report back that I didn’t do it.

This can be a friend, sibling, personal trainer, family member etc. Just make sure it is someone that is supportive of your goals and will never make you feel ashamed.

5. A schedule goes a long way

Writing down what you are going to do and when will help you meet your goals. If you just tell yourself that you have to workout for 2 hours today, but you do not know where that 2 hours will be, you may find yourself exhausted at the end of the day not able to meet your goal.

Consistency to your schedule is also a big deal. Even if you typically have unpredictable days, having some sort of regularity will help. Like I mentioned earlier, I typically take my daughter on a walk to the park after breakfast. This is a predictable form of exercise.

You may choose to attend a fitness class at your gym at the same time everyday, or you wake up at the same time to get an early workout in.

The ugly truth about weight loss and physique changes

It takes time and effort, and it will be hard at times.

That’s just the truth! There is no shortcut to greatness. Your ability to reach your fitness goals will come down to if you have a strong enough desire to make changes. If you are struggling to workout, then you may have not found enough motivation to make it happen.

You need to spend some time with your inner thoughts to figure out what your true motivations and goals are. For me, I want to be active so my children are proud of me as their mom and so that they can see what a healthy lifestyle looks like. Also it doesn’t hurt to feel and look great.

Challenge

Here is my challenge to you, write the answers to these questions in your phone and start making changes today!

1. How long do I have/want to see results? EX: 6 months
2. How long do I need to commit each day and week to exercise to meet my goals in my timeline? EX: 1 hour a day 5 days a week for 6 months
3. What time will I make for my exercise: EX: morning walks after breakfast, gym class everyday at 5:30am
4. What type of exercise will I be training? EX: swimming
5. What do I want to see after 130 hours: EX: lost 20 lbs and be able to run 3 miles in under 25 minutes
6. Why do I want to change my fitness habits? EX: for my health, for my family, for my own confidence etc.
7. Can I commit to 130 hours? EX: YES I CAN!

Conclusion

As you embark on your fitness journey, remember that change takes time, effort, and patience. Embrace the power of your mindset, set realistic goals, diversify your routine, fuel your body right, seek support, track your progress, and celebrate your wins. Embrace