21 Jan 2012 2012 fitness resolutions
by Karl Lenser
The holiday season is well behind us, and we are all getting back into our routines of going to work and getting kids to school, etc. I am sure that many of you have made some sort of fitness or health resolution for this year.
Of all the resolutions that are made every year, I am quite confident that weight loss is No. 1 in popularity. Television commercials seem to be flooded with weight loss products, diet planning “systems” and an assortment of devices that will “zap your fat” or create “rock hard abs” in just a few weeks.
Fitness centers are always flooded with new members or current members that suddenly feel compelled to start using the fitness center after months of inactivity. Parking lots in many clubs are filled to capacity and there are never enough treadmills and elliptical trainers to meet the demand during the resolution rush.
Unfortunately, many of the fitness resolutions end up being discarded and abandoned by the end of January or February. Poor planning, lack of sincere motivation (my spouse dragged me into the gym) and unrealistic goals that were not short, concise and specific are all causes of resolutions dying at an early age.
Others fail from a lack of knowledge as far as what type of exercise is best and how many minutes should be invested into every session. Overdoing the intensity is another culprit that I have witnessed (sedentary, out-of-shape individuals jump in a boot camp or high intensity class that leaves them with extremely sore muscles and a negative experience.)
Here are a few pointers that you may find helpful in your quest to succeed in your 2012 fitness resolutions:
Employ the K.I.S.S. Principle. Establish one or two goals and make them simple.
Get S.M.A.R.T. when it comes to goal setting. Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Timely (meet short term goals first and then the long term goal can be met). An example would be to lose 10 pounds by April 1. This would be about a pound per week.
Start a journal and record your workouts and food intake. It takes some work to do this, but it is worth it.
Find an accountability partner such as a co-worker or spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend.
Reward yourself as you accomplish each goal. We all need an oasis at times when struggling through the fitness desert.
Prepare the evening before your workout. This includes mental and physical planning. What will the workout be tomorrow? What time will I exercise? How long? Pack your gear the evening before, so you are ready to go in the morning.
Abolish any self-inflicted negative thoughts if you don’t happen to meet a goal or if you get off track for a day or two. Think positive! You can do it! You are the “Little Fitness Engine That Could.”
Remember that people that are moving are improving.
What you do physically with movement and what you put into your system (food) is what determines your health and well-being. Use your muscles, get your cardio system activated and ingest nutritious food, and you will have more energy and feel better about yourself.
Find your play. Find something you enjoy and stick with it. Consistency is the key to fitness success.
Apply some philosophy to your life:
“Life is motion.” – Aristotle
“To restore life to your life, to defeat aging, to regain the youth you still possess, you must get your body in motion.” – Dr. George Sheehan, M.D.
