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Staying Motivated
One way to stay motivated is to constantly remind
yourself that a
worth-while pay-off lies ahead; a new, healthy, strong you is
emerging.
Effective, consistent exercise will not only improve your overall
health
and fitness, but will also improve your appearance, energy level,
and
social interactions. Also, look forward to the many psychological
benefits
as well: confidence, self-esteem, and relief from depression,
anxiety and
stress.
If you are serious about your health and well-being, you will
take action
and begin an exercise program, and you will benefit in all these
ways.
Once you see the results, you will become even more motivated.
Action
creates motivation!
Set Goals
Goal-setting is another great way of staying motivated. Goals
focus your
workout program and clarify what you are trying to achieve. As
you attain
each goal, you gain encouragement and further motivation. Here is
how to
achieve the goals you set and obtain the results you deserve.
1. Make sure your goals are measurable: A
vague goal, such as "I want to
be fit," gives you nothing to shoot for. Decide when and
what you are
going to achieve, such as "I want to lose 2 percent of my
body fat by
August 1st."
2. Be realistic: Make sure your goals are
attainable. If you set your
expectations too high, you will get frustrated and will be more
likely to
quit. Make sure, however, that your goals are not too easy; they
should be
challenging. When you achieve a challenging goal, your pride and
satisfaction will create more motivation.
3. Set short-term goals as stepping stones to your
"ultimate" (long-term)
goals:If your long-term goal is to bench press 200 pounds
in one year,
then set short-term weekly or monthly goals of the weight you
will need to
bench press to achieve your long term goal--develop a plan. It is
a lot
easier to accomplish a goal one day or week at a time, such as
increasing
2.5 or 5 pounds a week, than it is to think that you need to
increase your
bench press by 50 pounds.
Make It Fun
Another way of assuring that you stay motivated is to make
exercise fun.
If you perceive your workout as a chore, you more than likely
will not
stick with it. Here are some techniques for making your workout
something
to look forward to.
1. Add Variety: If
your weightlifting is
getting tedious and boring,
change one of these factors:
• Vary how often you do an exercise and the number of sets
and reps you do.
• Find an alternate exercise; for example, if you always do
the bench press
using a barbell, try doing it with dumbbells or on a machine.
• Change the order of the exercises you do for each muscle
group and the
muscle groups themselves.
2. Include Friends and Family: Training
with a workout partner not only
makes your training session more fun, safe, and intense, but will
also
increase the likelihood of your showing up at the gym. Make sure
you pick
a partner whose goals and interests are similar to yours and who
is willing
to spot you correctly and motivate you to do your best.
3. Fight Discouragement: If once in a long
while you blow off a workout
because you choose to go out with friends, just accept and enjoy
your
choice--do not feel guilty. Otherwise, the sense of failure can
make it
harder to get yourself back on track. Focus on how much progress
you have
made so far, not on how far you have to go.
4. Expect and Prepare for Plateaus: If you
feel you have reached a plateau
and/or are bored, do not give up--this is a natural part of
working out.
Make sure to vary the exercises, sets, repetitions and order of
your
workout--continually search for new ways of making your routine
fun and
exciting.
5. Schedule your Workout: If you always
exercise on the same days at the
same time, your routine will become a fixture in your life, not
a whim. Not going to the gym will feel unnatural.
Including exercise into your busy schedule will be an adjustment,
and
staying motivated will be equally challenging. Change is
difficult for
many people. However, if you have the willingness to work through
the
initial emotional discomfort as you move step by step through a
safe and
effective program, you will find the confidence, commitment and
determination that will ease the way.
When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun
you
experience will make the change well worth the effort. Action
creates
motivation!
Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful
benefits of a
healthy, active lifestyle.
FIT TIPS
The proper way to do sit-ups. Don't do sit-ups with your feet
hooked under
a chair or some other object. The flexor muscles in your hips
(iliopsoas)
must work harder than your abdominal muscles when your feet are
anchored.
Instead, place your feet on the floor and try to hold them still.
Don't exercise on an empty stomach. Pregnant women in their last
trimester
should snack on an apple or a piece of toast 30 minutes before
exercising.
If they don't eat before working out, their blood sugar levels
could drop
drastically and possibly harm the fetus.
Two types of exercise are better than one. A recent study of men
and women
ages 60 to 80 reported that they can increase their aerobic
capacity by
combining aerobic exercise with weight training. Those who mixed
the two
workouts for 10 months could exercise at higher intensities on
exercise
bicycles, treadmills, and stair climbers than those who didn't.
To make your walking workout more strenuous, include some hills
in your
route. If your walk up a 4% grade, you'll burn approximately 35%
more
calories than when walking on level terrain at the same pace.
If you hold a stretch for any less than 10 seconds, you might as
well not
do it. Because that is how long it takes before ligaments and
muscle
fibers loosen.
This article is copyrighted by Global
Health and Fitness. Visit them at
http://www.global-fitness.com
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