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25
Ways to Stay On Track |
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You are not alone ! Yes, getting and staying motivated to follow through on your personal fitness program is the hard part. It is usually the hard part for everyone, but with a little help and a little effort it can become easy. Below are 25 suggestions from experts and practitioners, people like you, who have found ways to stay fit for living. Try out a few different techniques, some will certainly work for you. You may have to keep changing, what helps keep you motivated today, may not next month. 1. Set Achievable Goals: even if you do want to look like Arnold, start with a more reasonable and achievable goal. At first start with a goal you know you can meet. Make that goal and feel good about it, then set another. 2. Visualize Your Success: on days you find it hard to start your program, imagine how you will look and/or feel on meeting your next goal. Picture yourself having made that achievement and then get to work. 3. Don’t Push Too Hard & Stay Hydrated: unless you're training for some athletic activity that requires otherwise, don’t work yourself harder than necessary. If it hurts or is even uncomfortable, then stop and do something different. Proper exercise does not require pain.
5. Watch TV Or Video: watch the news, your favorite soaps, sports or rent the latest Harrison Ford escapade to help pass the time and make even more efficient use of it, while working out on a quiet treadmill. 6. Play Your Favorite Music: whether it’s Mozart or Metallica listening to music while you work-out can help keep it interesting, relaxing and fun. 7. Practice Positive Self-Thinking: your exercise time is time for you. So double the benefit and use that time to strengthen your psyche as well as your muscles. Think about your strong personal attributes, how they have helped you in the past and how they will help you in the future. 8. Play A Video Game: you know what they say about idle hands... well put them to work also while you’re walking on your treadmill. With a little practice Play-Station, Sega and Super-Nintendo are a snap while walking 4 miles per hour at a 5% grade. 9. Use As Time For Prayer/Reflection: if you have trouble finding time for exercising your body, chances are you also could also use the time for some spiritual exercise. 10.
Use Equipment That Is Easy To Use: 11. Problem Solve: try using this time to solve some problem at work or at home. Sometimes the change in scenery will help you find an answer that previously escaped you. 12. Mind Blank: another mental exercise that helps to relieve stress and regain clarity is to "zone out" and not allow yourself to think about anything. 13. Get Some Focus Reminders: place a special picture, note or object where it will serve as a reminder of your promise and commitment to get and stay fit for living. 14. Do Something: anything is better than nothing. If you can’t work-out three times a week, then set a goal to do it only once. Achieve that goal and feel good about it. Later you can walk the dog a few nights, or add another workout day. 15. Dress Comfortably: you’re at home, don’t worry so much about how you look, but more about how you feel. Dress in loose fitting, comfortable clothes (or not if it makes you feel better) that are made for working out. 16. Wear Comfy Shoes: take care of your feet. Wear comfortable shoes that can breathe and offer support. You may want to consider a special pair of shoes you’ve set aside just for exercising. 17. Create Variety In Your Program: something about the spice of life...it’s too true. Variety in you fitness program not only helps keep it interesting and fun but also stresses different muscles giving you a more rounded work-out. If you've been doing lots of cardio, try working out on a home gym. 18. Start Today: RIGHT NOW ! Stand up. Good, now stretch you arms over you head, breathe in and out. Now gently, slowly reach toward you feet. Don’t push too hard or bounce, but breathe. Okay now do 9 more. 19. Don’t
Feel Guilty: so you missed one workout, okay maybe it was a weeks worth, or a
months worth, or more. STOP feeling guilty and being hard on yourself. Just back
up one paragraph and Start Today, then read the next paragraph. 20. Monitor Your Progress: keep a daily diary or log of your activities and progress. This will not only show a record of your success, but also serve as a reminder to follow through. 21. Review Your Priorities: take time out to look at your daily activities and priorities. Are they what you want ? Is improved quality of life one of them ? 22. Do The Stuff You Don’t Like, First: maybe when you were young, you hated liver, but your mother made you eat it anyway. Hopefully you learned to eat it first and saved your favorites for last. If you find you’re liking exercise as much as you liked liver, and you’ve tried making it more enjoyable with only limited success, then do it first. 23. Workout On A Set Schedule: you get up, you dress, you eat, you work, etc. Makes sure you program in your exercise time with as much concern as you these other basic necessities. Because your life does depend on it. 24. Use Quality Smooth Operating Equipment: YES the performance of the equipment does effect the performance of the user. Just as with baseball, bicycling, computing, kite-flying, model-making, sewing, skiing, or anything else; if you take the same skill level and apply it on a better piece of equipment you see better results. 25. Hire A Personal Trainer: the ultimate is, of course, to hire one of EXERCARE’s personal trainers. You and a companion can have a personal in-home visit, at a regular time convenient to you, from a professional fitness consultant. The trainer will help you assess you current fitness level and target goals then customize and monitor your progress through a fitness program. |
4. Work-Out
With A Partner: there is nothing like having some peer pressure to help keep you
going. Find some one who is fun to be with and has their own fitness goals.
Together you can enjoy some quality time and help motivate each other.
