Perhaps the fact that we can't even remember the previous Christmas season shows how easily people can forget their New Year's resolutions.
According to research (Some research, some more research, and one more bit) losing weight is the number one resolution for 2011 in the UK.
In January the gym where I work was HEAVING! So much so, that at peak time it could resemble sale season in the high street stores, with people constantly moving around one another and often losing out on what they wanted because someone else got there first.
So 3 months on, whats changed? The gym is still busy but not to the same degree. The majority of the January do-gooders have all fallen off the fitness wagon and back to their old ways. But why?...
Here are a few tips for anyone who has veered off from their plan for 2011, anyone who is starting to flag a bit, or perhaps anyone who feels they need to be put back on the gym track...
Plan your time...
If you make a schedule which includes your workouts then they're far more likely to happen. Don't just say "I'll go the gym 3 times this week". Be more exact, "I'll go to the gym on Monday, Spinning on Tuesday and swimming on Thursday." Then when other things come up you're much more likely to schedule them around your exercise schedule. Remember, "fitness" is your new priority!
Pen and paper...
Write it down!! All of it. Write down your goals, your motivation, the reason you started training and above all write down the times and days that you're planning on going to the gym and what you'll do when you get there. Don't just rock up and do a bit of everything. leave nothing to chance.
With the same pen and paper...
Keep track of what you've achieved. It can be easy to feel that you haven't got anywhere, but if you keep a track of your own measurements, weights you use and, level of activity and times that you complete cardio in then you'll be able to look back a few months at a time and see how you've progressed and improved.
Train with a purpose...
If you feel "what's the point?" Get a point! Why not find an event that interests you such as a charity run? Or join a sports team? Or even book a holiday with a goal of feeling good on the beach. If you have this as your motivation and it's something that sticks in your mind during your time at the gym then you're much more likely to attend the gym and work hard when you're there.
Get it out of the way...
If you find the concept of going in to the gym daunting and it can play on your mind, or if you're at work thinking "I really should go to the gym tonight" but never do, then go first thing in the morning. Yes, you'll need to get up early, and yes, you might need to get to bed a little earlier but it's a great way to just get it done. If you REALLY try, it's usually doable, not easy but doable. Think about it, then you can stay at work as long as you need to, you've got your exercise out of the way and ticked off for the day and you've kick started your metabolism! Why not workout early?.. After all, you've missed the dark mornings in January now! :-)
Set yourself a time frame for success...
If you're just going to the gym indefinitely then you're bound to become demotivated as you won't be achieving anything. Set yourself a long-term goal with milestones along the way which you can gauge your success against. Set "SMART goals" (see "Be inspired - set yourself goals and train for a reason") so that you can see that your work at the gym has a reason and is helping you to be what you want to be.
Bring a friend...
If you have a training partner, as long as they're the right person for you (see "Training Partner Chemistry") then they're likely to make you feel pressured to get to the gym on those days when you don't really fancy it. They can also push you while you're there, help you lift more, work more and move faster than ever before.
Put money on it...
People don't like wasting money, and in many gyms there are arrangements where members are rewarded for frequent use. In the U.S there are gyms that reduce your membership the more you use the gym, while sites like this: http://www.stickk.com/ let you set yourself goals that, if you fail, will cost you money. In short, figure out a way to put money on yourself, make a bet with a friend to reach a goal, lift a weight, run a distance or lose body mass percentage and aim to win. Bring out the competitor in you!
Commit to get fit...
If you think you could or you have already packed in the gym within a short time why not commit to a longer term arrangement? Sign up for a year's membership or sign up with a personal trainer. You've committed the money to it and you'll notice that you'll start to commit your time to it. Personal training and classes can also be a good commitment which mean that once you have an appointment then you're more obliged to show up at the gym and less likely to have an "I'll go tomorrow" moment.
Remember...
Whatever happens in the human body is a science. It's simple, when it comes to the gym no one can lift a single weight for you, run a step for you or eat a meal for you BUT, you get out EXACTLY what you put in. If you work hard and eat right you won't be disappointed.
www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT
www.YouTube.com/User/BigMikePT
No comments:
Post a Comment