Getting and Staying Motivated

Many of the tips in this newsletter are directed to beginners, but everyone should review these ways of keeping your healthy lifestyle choices fresh and enjoyable. Please share these tips with anyone you know who is new or returning to exercise. 

I’ve always taken great pleasure in training the man or woman who makes the decision to start working out for the first time. I view it as a courageous, intelligent act of taking responsibility for one’s own health. I enjoy working with beginners because they get to learn things correctly from the start as opposed to re-learning ineffective habits they picked up from an infomercial.

Here are my top tips for the beginner:

• Don't worry about fear. It’s OK to feel somewhat unsure of yourself prior to starting an exercise and nutrition program. The psychological aspect is the first thing to accept. There will be a lot to learn concerning weight training, cardiovascular exercise, flexibility, breathing and nutrition. Recognize that as you begin the process, you will continually learn, get more comfortable and, most importantly, make progress. Don’t rush yourself. Take one issue at a time.
  
• Set small goals with specific results in mind. You’ll need to write down and decide what you want to accomplish. For example, you may decide you want to lose 30 pounds of body fat and gain two to three pounds of muscle. Maybe you’ll decide you want to be able to walk five miles without losing your breath, or possibly fit into that size 6 dress or 32-inch waist pants. Write it down and make it quantifiable. Just saying "I want to get in shape and lose weight" is not quantifiable. There’s no target.
  
• Get a check-up. Having a physical is a wise decision, because it will help assure you’ll attain the most benefits with the least amount of risks. If you smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or are overweight, it’s doubly important. Remember, this is about starting right.
  
• Structure. You will need guidance and accountability. Use a trainer or workout partner to help keep you on track. You will need a schedule for your workouts and your meals. Just saying “ I will exercise 3 times a week,” is not a schedule. Put your workout times on your calendar and stick to them.
  
• Get real. Take a close look at your schedule and be realistic concerning how many days and how much time you can realistically devote to exercise. This is going to be long-term, so it has to be based on reality.
  
  Too many people start working out every day and think that’s the best approach. Wrong!
  
  Maybe you only have two to three days to devote to exercise and only 45 minutes for each session. It's the combination of efficient nutrition and exercise that will yield the greatest benefit, not simply excessive exercise. That’s a sure way to experience burn out.
  
• Eat. Begin to get an understanding of how food affects the body. You need food in order to move throughout the day and have sustained energy. Pay attention to what you eat and how it affects your energy level. For example, what happens to your body when you have a big bowl of pasta compared to a smaller amount of pasta combined with chicken and a small Caesar salad.
  
  Become familiar with the effect elevated blood sugar has on storing fat. Avoid foods with high sugar content or high glycemic index.
  
• Move. No, not geographically. Start to work out; start to move. Your weight training won’t take a lot of time as a beginner, nor will your cardiovascular exercise. You’ll focus on form, technique, precision and breathing correctly during your workout. Quality over quantity – correct form will get you farther than pushing beyond your current limits.
  
• Beware of magic potions. Don’t get hooked into supplements that can magically reduce body fat or infomercials that sell ineffective products to get your stomach flat. Remember, these companies are just trying to make a buck, and most of them don’t provide all the information you require to make a wise decision. They prey on emotion and impulse buying.
  
• Cost evaluation. It’s important to get the most effective nutrition and workout plan for your needs. In business, it’s called cost versus benefit. By investing the right amount of time, effort and money into your program, you can attain the results you desire.
  
• Reward yourself for small (and large) successes. When you have lost a size, go ahead and treat yourself to a new pair of size-smaller jeans, or a new swimsuit. When you have followed your eating plan all week, treat yourself to a small dessert or cappuccino on the weekend. Keep yourself positive and motivated. If you have a bad week, or miss a few workouts, don’t punish yourself or give up, just get back on your plan and keep moving forward for that next small reward !

Remember, you are making a lifestyle change. It is not easy, but it is worth the effort!