Back to…Fitness School

Now that school has started again, you have a chance to do something for yourself.  This is your chance to gain control of your health, your life, your weight, and make it what you want it to be.  There are several things that contribute to your success.  We all know that cardiovascular activity, strength training, and proper nutrition are crucial to getting results, but is that all there is to it?  If that’s the case, why is it so hard to achieve results?

I would say that the number one things is a group of things that all center around your motivation.  The problem with just saying “motivation” is that motivation alone isn’t always enough.  True motivation is when you are determined to achieve results and you have the tools necessary to make it happen.  You can be motivated to build a bridge across a ravine, but without the right tools and materials, you are not going to get very far. When you don’t have the right tools, your motivation fails.  When it comes to fitness, the tools you need are confidence in ability to achieve results, reasonable goals, proper education, the right equipment, and a proper perception of how to put it all together.  Think about that for a moment.

1. You need a good positive confidence in your ability to achieve your goals.  If you don’t believe you will achieve your goals on your own…guess what?  You won’t get there.  Having confidence in your ability and in your plan are crucial to getting and staying motivated.

2. If your goals are identical (or more lofty) than times in the past that you have tried and failed, it may be time to rethink your goals.  By setting unreasonable goals, you are setting yourself up for frustration and therefore lack of motivation.

3. Proper education is important because it’s what keeps you from getting injured or doing things that do not really help you get in shape.  You are being fed misinformation about nutrition and working out all the time on television, in magazines, and even from friends.  The lack of understanding can lead to more frustration, and again…lack of motivation over time.

4. The right equipment is sometimes no equipment at all, but knowing how to do the exercises properly can make a world of difference when you are trying to get results.  It’s amazing how complcated moving the body can be sometimes, but it’s also amazing how easy it is to learn.  My advice, read and study or hire someone to help you.  It doesn’t take as long as you think to learn the basics of working out.

5. After you get all of the tools, now you just have to put it together.  Learn how to use the equipment you have and set up a program that you can follow on a consistent basis.  Don’t set up an unreasonable goal of trying to exercise every single day at first.  That just leads to failure after a few weeks.  Learn how to integrate play and sports in to your fitness routine because, let’s face it, the gym can get boring!  Learn a nutrition plan that you can maintain for a long period of time instead of the crash diets that all of your friends are on.  When you get this down, your motivation will not just stay steady, it will increase with time.  You will get in better shape, achieve more, feel better, and live a life that you always knew you were capable of.

So when you are getting back in to your routine this fall, realize the number one thing is motivation.  Now it’s up to do everything you can to keep your motivation level as high as possible.  Enjoy!

pictures found at boddie.org.uk