Fitness Secrets
We all know what to do to lose weight. We want to eat less. We want to get more exercise. We want to feel strong, attractive, and confident. But what are we doing about it? Every morning we wake up, we have the power to make decisions that will affect how we feel, think, act, and look for that day. We are always in motion—every moment moving either toward our goals, or away from them. Simply put, if you’re not working to improve the quality of your life, you’re negatively affecting the quality of your life. When it comes to exercise or nutrition, I often hear clients say, “But it’s genetics—I can’t help the way I look.” It is true that fewer than 1 of 1000 people have the genetics to be a pro athlete or a Supermodel. It is also true that even many people who are blessed with those genetics lack willpower, self-motivation, or desire. It is not true that you are stuck with what you have right now! You can work with what you’ve been given—be the best you that you can be, if you CHOOSE to do so.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, positive self-image, and fit body is entirely within your control. Every day, the choices you make either will move you a step toward better health and fitness, or hinder or negate your progress. If you are prepared to make better CHOICES, and are up to the CHALLENGE, your body will CHANGE! It’s that simple. Eat less, move more, and get educated about your body, your motivation, and your obstacles. We suggest following the guidelines below to get started on making changes that will affect not only your body—but also your mind.
FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO LOSE. And we’re not talking about losing weight. We’re talking about losing FAT. In order to set realistic and appropriate goals for progress, it is important to evaluate your current fitness level, current body composition, and current eating and exercise habits. What works for you, and what doesn’t? What have you tried? Starting with a comprehensive body composition analysis, administered by a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Professional or Registered Dietitian can guage your current lean body mass/fat ratio, and can give you an idea of what your target goals should be.
CONSULT WITH A PROFESSIONAL AND MAKE A PLAN. Based on the results of your body fat/lean muscle ratio, get a professional to help you set up a personalized nutrition plan, complete with caloric requirements needed to meet your fat loss goals, based on your current weight and composition—not based on a generic one-fits-all chart. Whether you choose to talk to a doctor, Registered Dietitian, or Certified Personal Trainer, with the help of a professional, you can also get a detailed cardiovascular and weight training program to give you a place to start, and provide suggestions on how to get the fastest, most effective results.
UNDERSTAND ALL THE COMPONENTS OF SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS. We’ve identified four elements that have helped those who have successfully lost inches, and kept them off permanently. They are:
Cardiovascular Exercise—regular, scheduled walking, running, or other sustained
endurance exercises
Strength Training—increasing lean muscle in order to stimulate metabolism and
prevent osteoporosis.
Proper Nutrition—eating the proper foods, in the proper portions, at the proper times.
Understanding the Psychology of Weight—what led to our weight gain, and what is
keeping us that way?
MAKE CARDIOVASCULAR/FAT-BURNING EXERCISE A PART OF YOUR PLAN. Research shows that in order to maximize the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, we must do cardio at least 30 minutes per day, four days per week. Cardio choices include walking, running, doing aerobics, elliptical gliders, cycling, rowing, and more. Most people joining a gym and hiring a personal trainer understand the benefits of cardiovascular exercise for endurance, stamina, and fat loss. The challenge is to commit and follow through with scheduling at least four days of 30-minute cardio sessions in order to get the change that is desired in your weight, endurance, and fitness level.
LEARN HOW TO SAFELY IMPLEMENT YOUR PLAN. Many of us understand the benefits of cardio and strength training. The problem that many people make is assuming that by looking at a diagram, or merely by watching others, they can effectively and properly perform an exercise. Many injuries occur because of poor form or over-training. Scheduling even ONE session with a professional trainer can let you know the proper amount of weight to start with on each machine, how many reps and sets will most benefit you individually, and teach you the proper form in order to get the best results in the time you have.
ASSESS YOUR PROGRESS FREQUENTLY and ADJUST YOUR PLAN. After two weeks, you should notice a loss of inches or fat density, and you may be ready to kick up your cardio or increase strength training intensity. You can do this in one of the following ways:
Increase the length of time spent during each cardio workout session
(up to 40 minutes, for example)
Increase the number of days you do cardio. Increase from 4 days a week to 5 or even 6.
Increase your intensity. You may not be working to your optimal aerobic capacity,
and may need to boost it up a bit in order to get faster, more noticeable results and
the most efficient use of your time.
FOLLOW A PERSONALIZED NUTRITION PLAN. Having poor eating habits is the number one problem I’ve seen in people who are not getting the results they want from their programs. Becoming educated about proper nutrition and caloric needs based on your body composition is a good start. Do you know that eating five small meals/day will leave you more satisfied, more likely to stick to a nutritional program, and is optimal for weight loss? Do you know that at each meal should include protein and carbohydrates, with a little bit of dietary fat? (So much for the low-carb thing.....) Do you know that you should increase your vegetable intake to 2-3 servings per day? Do you know the nutritional requirements for you to perform at your best, with maximum energy? Find out by consulting with a Personal Trainer.
UNDERSTAND YOUR SABOTAGING BEHAVIORS. Until an individual has addressed the reasons why they overeat, under-exercise, or sabotage their own success, any success at weight loss will probably be temporary. When temptation rears its ugly head in the form of cookies, chips, candies, and all candy machine choices, do you succomb? WHY? Identifying self-defeating thoughts, obstacles, and eating triggers is an essential part of making long term lifestyle changes. Our attitudes, mental state, moods, and self image all contribute to our success or failure. Confronting the lies and excuses that have made us heavy and kept us heavy can often be the key to stopping the diet roller-coaster many of us have been on for years.
RECOGNIZE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALONG THE WAY. If we can learn to appreciate small, daily successes, instead of waiting until we’ve reached the “end result,” we are more likely to stick to our plan, notice the positive changes in other aspects of our lives, and feel confident, attractive, and proud of ourselves. Acknowledge the progress you’ve made when you can walk 2 miles without stopping, or increase the number of pushups you’re able to do. Focusing on what we ARE doing, rather than what we’re NOT doing will help keep us focused, motivated, and energized. Assess your “before” and “after” progress in as many ways as you can. Measure yourself. Take photos. Gauge your energy levels. Get you body composition re-measured. Count how many pushups and sit-ups you can do in one minute. When you’re having a “What’s the Use” kind of day, pull out your “before” results, and compare them with a new, up-to-date assessment. When we see results—no matter how small—we’re more likely to stick it out and maintain motivation for our program.
DON’T GIVE UP. You’ll plateau. You’ll have bad days. You’ll eat things you later feel guilty for. You’ll skip workouts. All these are practically guarantees. What will you do—not if—but WHEN it happens? Can you say, “Oh well, I’ll do better next time?” Or will you feel guilty and punish yourself? Will you throw in the towel altogether? Will you assume that you just aren’t capable of doing it? None of us are perfect, and should not expect to ever be that way. Instead, accept your weaknesses as merely things to work on—not character defects—and love yourself regardless.
Above all, practice the principle of BALANCE in your life. Keep perspective. Be committed, but not obsessed. Be persistent, but not fanatic. After all, I can bet that none of us, while on our deathbeds, will look back on our lives and say, “I wish I’d never eaten that cookie,” or “I wish I’d spent more time at the gym.”
Jana Beutler Holland, M.Ed.