Deciding to get fit is easy – doing it can be tougher! Making the decision to start a fitness program can make perfect sense – we plan a schedule, book time at the gym and make a start. But, then lose the motivation to carry it through and end up firmly back at step one.
Then to make things worse, we feel demoralized because we failed. But, believe it or not, you CAN start and CONTINUE an effective fitness program. All you have to do is to follow our 10 step plan:
Step 1 – Use A Personal Trainer
Keeping up a fitness program on your own can be hard – how do you motivate yourself? This needn’t be a problem if you work with a personal trainer as it’s their job to keep you motivated!
Step 2 - Use Your Friends
Make sure that you enlist both friends and family to support your efforts in your fitness program. It’s a lot harder to give up if you are getting encouragement at home (and the embarrassment if you do give up is enough to motivate most people!)
Step 3 – Know Your Limits
One of the main reasons that people give up on fitness programs is that they try to do too much too soon. It’s much easier to keep going if you start off slow and build up as you go along.
Step 4 – Keep Changing
In the gym boredom is your ENEMY. If you get bored with a routine then you’ll lose motivation and you’ll stop seeing such good results. So, change routines regularly and keep yourself challenged!
Step 5 - Set A Target
Decide why you want to get fitter, write the reason down on a piece of paper and stick it on the refrigerator. This way you won’t open the door for unnecessary snacks and you’ll have a constant reminder of what you’re aiming for.
Step 6 - Break Your Goal Down
Achieving a big fitness goal can be hard as some days it’ll just look like all work and no results. Breaking your goal down into smaller targets will make you feel better and you’ll be more motivated. So, if you’re aiming to lose 10 lb then set smaller goals along the way.
Step 7 - Treat Yourself
When you reach a target or feel a bit demoralized than give yourself a ‘fitness treat’ to make you feel better. Have a manicure or pedicure, invite the girls round for a DVD treat or take yourself off for the weekend.
Step 8 – Work on Your Whole Life
An effective fitness program isn’t just about getting to the gym – it’s about what you drink and eat. So, make sure that your diet is healthy. This will increase the results you see from the gym and it will make you feel better about your life as a whole which will make you feel better about continuing with your fitness program..
Step 9 – Get Fit Out Of The Gym
Taking regular exercise makes you feel better so don’t just use the gym as part of your fitness program. You can work exercise into any part of your day. Walk round the office to give a colleague a message rather than emailing. Take the stairs at the mall rather than the elevator. Go for a long walk at the weekend. It’ll all make a difference.
Step 10 – Scare Yourself
Being unfit and/or overweight can seriously harm your health – it can even shorten your life expectancy. Take a look at any online medical service and you’ll soon see the damage you could be doing. That should be enough to scare you straight into the gym!
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