To Succeed In Your Fitness Program

In your quest for fitness, strive for progress, not perfection.

 To Succeed In Your Fitness ProgramYou need to Motivate Yourself

 1. Set your goals

With paper in hand, write down reasonable goals to follow and date each goal in the future.  Example: Lose 10 lbs by (date), reduce waste measurement by 1 inch by (date).

2. This is your time - no interruptions by cell phone, conversations,  too little time.

Plan your workouts as time allows, but try so save one full hour for yourself.  If you're really serious about fitness, leave the cell phone in the locker with you being in the gym.  Concentrate  on what you're doing.  It's not the time that counts but rather what you do with it.  

3.  Have fun during your workout.

No matter what form of exercise you do, what do you like to do for the long run?  Perhaps you may consider one type of exercising along with another.  Example:  Jog three times a week and strength train for three alternate days.  Variety improves the attitude and interest in exercising.

4.  Consistency is the name of the game.

Plan your routine for long term practice.  If you stop or interrupt your fitness plan, how will you make up for the time you lost doing other things?  

5. Intensity training.

After a period of conditioning you should start increasing the work load you place on yourself to reach a higher level of development.  Let's say you are a beginner, deconditioned and somewhat of a couch potato.  If you are basically in good health and get check ups by your medical doctor as required, what was a little difficult to do as a beginner, became easier as you progressed in your fitness routine. All forms of physical exercise requires an increasing intensity to progress.  If you do the same type of exercise without pushing yourself, you remain in a static physical condition.  If you want to reach your goals, increased energy and effort is required.

6. Attitude.

Like everything we do in life, our attitude influences our happiness, smile (or lack of it), stress, work, workouts, and many other conditions. Strive to have a positive attitude.  If something bothers you, and you have no control to influence it's outcome, practice ignoring it.  Negative attitudes case stress without a payoff!

7. Keep an open mind and fill it with good information.

If you plan a fitness routine consider a variety of different exercises, working on the whole body and not only a selected area (abs as an example).  Look at fitness and exercise books, talk to trainers, and look in the mirror to see how you are progressing.  Check for flabby areas, pot belly's, weak muscles, poor balance.  Obtain and keep copies of your medical records and read them!  Check your blood counts and see if they are within normal limits.  Before visiting your doctor, make a list of questions you would like him to answer.  Bring in an updated list and amounts of all medications you take.

8. Year in - year out.

Please remember that you, and only you, live in your body.  Keep it healthy by good nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep and enjoyment in each and every day.  It will reduce your aches and pains, chronic disease, and medical bills.  Your fitness routine should be planned for day to day and year to year practice.  Enroll in Your College of Fitness.