Few things are worse
than trying to get your body
into shape and failing. It takes quite
some courage to start on a fitness program and it takes willpower to
stick to it and avoid ditching it a couple of days later.
Unfortunately, more than half of the people who decide to take up a
fitness
program do so on a whim and drop out within the first six
months. Boredom, busy schedules and a feeling of being fit enough to no
longer need the exercising combine to convince people that exercises
are not worth the effort and striving.
The
first thing you want to do in order to avoid being a complete
failure is to set a goal for yourself. If you want to be thinner, then
decide on a number of pounds you want to shed. If you want to be able
to run around the park without spitting your lungs on the sidewalk,
then train accordingly. But whatever you do, set a clear goal so you
don’t have to guess whether you’re making progress
or not. Also, make
sure your goal is realistic. Dropping 1 pound per week through a
combination of reduced intake of calories and increased physical effort
is a realistic goal. Shedding 50 pounds in two months is not just a
dream, but the attempt may also prove dangerous for your health.
After
deciding upon a goal, always make sure you’re keeping track
of
your progress. This will help keep you motivated because you will
always have the visible proof of your success at whatever it is
you’re
doing. But bear in mind that tracking
should also be done carefully. If
you’re going for weight loss, don’t give in to the
temptation to weigh
yourself every day. Body weight fluctuates naturally from one day to
the other and depends on many factors. It’s much too easy to
be
discouraged and abandon the program just because two extra glasses of
water have messed up your weight.
Keep
your fitness schedule
as varied as possible. Exercises
are great
for your health, but only hardcore bodybuilders are never bored by
them. Doing the same thing over and over becomes tedious sooner or
later so make sure you mix your exercises and change the order every
week or whenever you feel boredom starting to move in. Don’t
let
yourself get to the point where you say “Damn that exercise!
I’m not
going to do it again as long as I live!”. If you
can’t come up with a
good plan, ask a gym trainer or a veteran to help you out.
The
final advice is to share
the joys and problems of fitness with
somebody. Find a friend who also goes to the gym and start going
together. You can help each other achieve your goals and swap stories
about successes and failures in between reps. A workout partner will
make things look easier with a positive attitude and you can do the
same thing for him or her. Oh, and don’t allow yourself to
come up with
excuses for avoiding the gym. Cheap tricks
like that are never any
good.