Part 24 - Healthy Living
Story Highlights
Why Should You?
Getting It Wrong
Key Goals
Motivating Factors
Why Should You
Every year people find their own reason to get fit. They may be compelled by extensive over eating over the holiday, the ideal that a brand new year means a brand new start or just a compulsion to start a healthy lifestyle after putting it off, year after year.
January is a time when health clubs make millions as millions of us run as fast as we can - away from the scales. Most people who start a brand new lifestyle in January tend to jump into a drastic and unmanageable new regime, which is ultimately destined for failure. Generally this failure comes about because we think we know it all when in fact we're hurting our bodies with an endless repetition of ineffective exercise.
Getting It Wrong
Without a little knowledge or guidance, filling your time at the gym and figuring out what to do can become a fearsome task. The most common reason for this is that people expect too much too soon. They chose too many drastic changes all at once and consequently give up because it doesn't seem worth it. This isn't to say that success and continued improvement is impossible, however most people don't plan or organise their shift in health priorities, which then leads to failure.
Key Goals
The key to setting goals that can motivate us is to find long term goals and divide them into pieces that make up your final goal. In other words a few manageable changes to our primary priority is the right foundation. These goals should be constructed using the following guidelines.
They should be specific, easy to break down and not subjective to every day variables.
These goals should also be measurable - so that you can definitively say you have or haven't reached your target at the end of your specified period.
Your chosen goals should also be achievable and include realistic expectations. Losing 10, 20, or 30 pounds is possible but for each person and each amount, it will require an individual measure of time and dedication.
Finally all of these goals should have a definite timeframe. Just getting in shape for whenever may leave you drifting in limbo. Losing one pound per week doesn't seem like much to those who are just starting a new regime, but that amount over a whole year could lead to a significant physical and personal change.
The main reason why changing your health and fitness levels is more difficult than almost any other change, is that it's easier and more immediately rewarding to fail. If you don't go to the gym or stick to your nutritional plans, nothing immediately bad happens. In the long run however you will pay the price because when you measure all that fatty food and hours of sitting in front of the TV against a gym routine, it's clear which one benefits your body the most.
Motivating Factors
So how do we stick to a routine? Well it isn't easy and the answer really depends on each person. The best plan is to really figure out why you're making a change. For example is it as simple as wanting to look good on the beach or are you serious about wanting to live longer and spend more time doing what you love with your loved ones. External goals will get us started but they are rarely enough to get us motivated for longer than a month or two.
Something to consider is getting others involved. Find a training partner, tell your family and friends your real motivation and let them push you when you can't. A last ditch option could be to find a way to associate failure with a significant negative impact. For example if the punishment for failure is greater than the cost of success, you will have a greater reason to succeed. This might seem like an extreme measure, but it might be the push you need if quitting and running to McDonalds is a familiar to you.
How about eating a can of dog food in front of your friends if you don't lose those ten pounds, running through the office naked or simply informing your family and friends? Their expectations and the fear of disappointing them can be a great motivation.
I wish you all good luck with all of your goals this month and if you slip, I'm only an e-mail away.
- James
If there are any topics on health, nutrition and fitness that you would like to see addressed or you have any questions, please contact me at healthy.living@st-christophers.co.uk or go to www.fireinsidefitness.com.You can also read my online Blog at www.FireInsideFitness.blogspot.com.
James McDonald is a St Christopher's Manager and fully certified personal trainer, working in Edinburgh.
