5
Fitness Tips to Start Off Powerfully from Wesley Houser
Given the amount of information we are inundated with
today, it is hard to discern the truth from the not-so-true or even completely erroneous. I have found this to be especially
true in the health and fitness industry. In this brief article, I will expound on what I believe to be some of the most critical
as well as effective tools in creating and maintaining an exercise routine.
1. Set realistic goals and make a plan- Getting fit is a process and will take time. This also requires
correct information. I recommend hiring a professional trainer, buying a book, or subscribing to a newsletter to learn what
realistic goals are and how to execute your plan so that you will reach them safely. My favorite analogy: if you call an airport
asking for a ticket to San Francisco but do not
know the departing city, the airport agent will not be able to issue you a ticket! Another thing to keep in mind is that you
want to set both short and long-term goals.
2. Begin journaling- Once you have your goals, a plan and are ready to begin, it is very important to keep track of what you are doing. In my experience,
trying to keep it in your head just does not work, especially if exercise compliance has been an issue for you in the past. Tracking is important to do before and after you begin your plan. I suggest journaling
your food, sleep and exercise habits seven days before and continually after you begin your
program so that you may compare and contrast the differences. Email me at wes@befit2.com for a free form I have developed to track these factors.
3. Be accountable-Again I advise hiring a professional initially or long-term for this. If this is not
an option, find a friend who will hold
your feet to the fire. It is extremely imperative that whomever you choose embodies the physical, emotional and spiritual
attributes that you desire for yourself. If this is not the case, you are most likely setting yourself up to fail.
4. Keep a positive mental outlook- A healthy lifestyle and positive attitude are highly correlated. Whenever
negative thoughts creep in, I have found an
effective method for restoring myself to a positive state is reciting (audibly if possible, but no big deal if you are somewhere that doing so would be inappropriate)
a positive statement. My favorite is reciting “I am. God is” over and over until the negative thoughts have left
me, and my mind is once again calm. If the God part is not for you, simply changing ‘God’ to ‘good’
is an easy fix. Or just think of ‘God’ as good, orderly direction.
5. Reward yourself-In my experience this is the least practiced by most people. It is crucial to acknowledge
and reward yourself, personally, for achieving your goals (i.e. a trip to the spa, purchasing a new outfit, taking a day off
from work, etc…). It is also wise to try and find an accountability partner to participate in this with you and to let
them know how you they can best support you.
Hopefully this will be helpful for those
of you who are interested in making a strong start in 2006. These suggestions only scratch the surface, as there are many subsets to the each one of them. Please feel free to contact
me via email or phone 404-975-8099 if you have any further comments, questions or concerns in this regard.