Monday, March 28, 2011

Stop the yo-yo routine

Have you been on a yo-yo fitness routine for years? You know, someone who goes from ‘couch potato’ to ‘elite athlete’ in a week. Don’t feel bad, you’re not alone!

Often times when people are new to exercise, they start out very excited about making healthy changes and do too much, too soon. By that, I mean they go from not exercising at all, to a workout program geared for someone in tip top shape. Then, when the effort involved doesn’t equal the results, discouragement followed by feeling like it’s not worth it and ultimately quitting the program, is inevitable.

Here are three tips to make sure this doesn’t happen to you:

1. The first step, in any life change, is to set specific, measureable, attainable, realistic & timely goals (SMART goals). If you don’t have goals, how do you know what you need to do to in order to reach them?

2. If you’re new to exercise, or haven’t exercised for a while (6 months or more), start by simply increasing your daily physical activity. This means finding ways to just get up & move in your day. Pace while on the phone, stand while folding clothes instead of sitting, put fun music on while cleaning (you’ll go faster & you’ll get done sooner, win win!), take the stairs, etc, etc. This may not seem like a lot, but remember that every little bit adds up AND it will get your mind & body ready for more.

3. Find a physical activity that you enjoy…and then do it! For example, if you’re someone that loves being outside, start taking walks after dinner. If you pick something you like, you’ll be more likely to do it.

Good luck on your journey to better health and fitness. If you need additional guidance, let us know. We’re here to help!


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