28 Nov 09 Ten Sure Steps to Exercise Success
Pick up virtually any fitness magazine or book, and you’ll probably find some words of wisdom or warning about why exercise programs fail. It usually goes something like this: lack of time, enjoyment, motivation, realistic goals, regularity, variety, support, proper instruction, good eating habits, rewards, etc. Although all those lack-ofs certainly can and often do derail an exercise program, I’ve found it is much more encouraging, empowering, and effective to focus on why exercise programs succeed.
People who get beneficial and lasting results from exercise tend to:
1. Make the commitment.
Identifying why you want to exercise will help you to commit your time and effort toward reaching your personal fitness objective.
2. Set realistic and specific goals.
Knowing your current level of fitness (weight, strength, stamina, health issues, etc.) and the level of fitness you wish to achieve and sustain are the first two steps toward figuring out how and how quickly to move safely and steadily toward your goals.
3. Keep an exercise log.
Recording your daily exercise activities and tracking the results not only enables you to monitor your progress and identify necessary changes, it is also a great motivator. Seeing that you’re taking more steps and with greater ease even when you aren’t seeing a significant change in weight, size, or cholesterol levels will encourage you to at least stick with it, if not add more exercise and/or decrease calories.
4. Start small and build slowly.
Fitting your exercise routine to your current level of fitness and then gradually increasing the amount and difficulty of exercise as your body strengthens ensures against discomfort, frustration, and injury and, ultimately, keeps you moving. So, if you lean toward all-or-nothing exercise thinking or quick-fix fitness strategies, ditch them now; they never work.
5. Do a variety of activities you enjoy.
Engaging in physical activities you genuinely enjoy and adding interesting new activities or doing a favourite activity a new way now and then will prevent boredom and keep you motivated and moving.
For tips number 6 through to 10, read the full article on Personal Trainer Info at http://www.personaltrainerinfo.co.uk/pages/exercise-success.html.
Tags: exercise, fitness, motivation
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