Your Ham Rule Is Holding You Back

I’m a strength coach at Lakeway Personal Training, and most clients walk in stuck, not even seeing the walls holding them back. “I’m not fit enough,” “I’m too busy,” they say—rules they don’t realize they’ve set. But everyone who’s transformed, lifting stronger, living freer, found a path God made just for them. Forget “no pain, no gain” or generic plans. You need a coach who cares, who builds a fitness that fits you. Ready to question those rules and find your way?

Picture a mom and daughter cooking a holiday ham, following great-grandma’s recipe. Mom says, “Cut it in half.” The daughter, seeing it fits fine in their big pan, asks, “Why?” Mom shrugs, “That’s how it’s always been.” But she wonders. At dinner, she asks grandma, who doesn’t know either. They call great-grandma, who chuckles, “My pan was too small back then.” For years, they followed a rule that made no sense. Sound like your fitness? Maybe you’re stuck on “cardio’s the only way” or “weights aren’t for me” because of some old advice or fear. At Lakeway Personal Training, we help you question those rules to find what works for you.

Fitness Rules That Hold You Back

That ham story? It’s just like the rules we carry into fitness. A bad gym class, a magazine myth, or a friend’s “advice” can set beliefs that stick, even when they don’t fit anymore. At Lakeway Personal Training, we see these anchors holding clients back from the strength God built them for. Here are the big ones:

1. “I’m not athletic.” That middle school dodgeball fail? It doesn’t define you. With the right coaching, you can move better than you ever imagined.
2. “Weights will make me bulky.” This myth keeps you from lifting, which builds strength and confidence, not just bulk—especially with a plan tailored to you.
3. “Cardio’s the only way to lose weight.” Nope. Strength training and smart nutrition get results without endless treadmill hours.
4. “My family isn’t active, so I’m not.” Like the ham recipe, inherited habits don’t have to limit you. You can start fresh.

These rules aren’t truth—they’re walls. Break them, and you’ll find a fitness you never thought possible.

How to Ditch the Rules and Find Your Fitness

At Lakeway Personal Training, my clients don’t start dreaming of deadlifts or 5Ks—they’re stuck. But by questioning their rules, they transform. After a year, they know fitness science better than some trainers. You can too. Here’s how:

1. Spot Your Rules: Write down your fitness beliefs. “I’m too old.” “No time.” Stuck? That’s the sign.
2. Ask “Why?”: Why avoid weights? Why only cardio? Pinpoint the fear or myth.
3. Check the Science: Does it hold up? Weights build strength God gave you, not bulk. 
4. Test It Out: Start small—try a strength session or walk-run. Science backs small wins.
5. Own New Rules: Swap “I’m not fit” for “I’m stronger every day.” Knowledge is power.

With a coach who educates, you’ll master the fitness God built you for.

Your Fitness Oasis Is Waiting

Questioning your fitness rules opens a door to a life you can’t yet imagine. My clients at Lakeway Personal Training never thought they’d deadlift heavy or feel unstoppable, but they found an oasis—strength, energy, and joy God built them for. Like the mom in the ham story who learned her pan was big enough, you’ve got more room to grow. What’s your “ham rule”? What belief holds you back? Get curious, check the science, and let us coach you to the wellness you deserve. Your potential is limitless.

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