Hands up if you’ve made every excuse under the sun not to train after a long day at work?

Fitness is as much a mental journey as a physical one and reaching your goals also requires you to overcome excuses and bad habits.

Essentially, reframing your thoughts around fitness – whether that’s goal setting or the language you use – is what will create positive change.

Global fitness Instagram sensation, Krissy Cela, says fitness is not a quick fix and it’s not a novelty.

‘If anyone ever tells you their fitness journey was easy, or that it happened with a smile on their face, then they’re lying,’ she says. ‘Mine certainly didn’t.’

Heartbreak spurred Krissy, 25, into self-development and the gym. Her social media account took off after she filmed and posted herself doing exercises so that she could watch them back and tweak her technique.

She now has up to three million followers across social media channels and launched her Tone And Sculpt app two years ago.

She admits fitness didn’t come naturally at first. ‘My journey into the fitness world was never about the perfect body, it was about making positive changes to feel better mentally and physically,’ she says.

‘In the beginning, I skipped workouts and restricted my diet. It was difficult for me not to focus on a physical aesthetic and change bad habits.

‘Exercise is seen as something of a chore, but why don’t we see it as something to look forward to? All you need to do is change your mindset for this to happen. People look at me and think I love working out and that [motivation] comes naturally, but it doesn’t.

I was just like you, knowing I should workout but not really knowing what to do or having the motivation to do it. Humans are the kings and queens of excuses.

If they don’t want to do something, they will find any excuse under the sun. I always say to people, ask yourself, what would the best version of you do in this situation?

‘Saying “I can’t be bothered” is building the concept that you are a lazy person. The best version of you would get up and get moving. A cardio session, a quick sculpt, there’s always time for something, even if it’s only for 20 minutes.’

In her debut book, Do This For You: How To Be A Strong Woman From The Inside Out, Krissy offers up a motivational guide for women, focusing on both mental and physical strength.

‘There are so many different styles of fitness now that you can end up doing something you don’t necessarily like,’ she says.

‘Take some time to learn how your body moves and what works for you. Also, it’s important to have structure. I don’t believe it’s good to do random workouts. The aim should be to create a strong foundation to build upon.’

She is well-known for a combination of circuits and resistance. ‘My style incorporates weights, not just body weight.

‘When you’re doing these crazy HIIT workouts you might be burning calories but by stripping back, learning the basics and understanding compound movements (moves that target multiple muscle groups at the same time), you can solidify your form and technique and create good posture and overall strength.’

Once you find your passion, Krissy says to commit, plan and schedule to stay on track.

‘Don’t rely on motivation. Like the moon, motivation will be bright and full on occasion, only to dim through the day.

‘Discipline is stability and structure. It’s unwavering. With the right mindset you can have a life where fitness and a healthy relationship with food are second nature.’

Krissy Cela’s top tips on how to start breaking down your fitness barriers

Try this intense lower body workout, guaranteed to set your legs and glutes on fire…

‘Warm up with five minutes of skipping, then perform each exercise one after the other, with little to no rest between each move,’ Krissy says.

‘Rest for two to three minutes between rounds and repeat three times.’

Step Up Kick Back

Lateral Lunges

Reverse Lunge Jump

Frog Pump

Jump Squat

Straight Leg Kick Back

Finisher – Skipping

Do This For You (Octopus Books) is out now, priced £16.99.

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