Removing Obstacles From Your Fitness Plan

We are approaching the final months of the year. Many of us set goals back in January to be a certain weight or look a certain way by the year’s end. Some of us reached our goals, or at least party reached them, but as with every new year new resolutions will be made. January will soon be here again and we’re about to be inundated with advertising and hype with the latest and greatest products and services promising to make 2018 our year for fitness success! Americans will spend over $60 billion annually attempting to lose weight and look younger. NO matter what methods we embrace, one thing is for sure: ongoing change is imminent.

Before I embark upon the nuts and bolts of some basic fitness additions and modifications, I would be remiss if I did not address the most significant component of achieving physical health – your thought process. In nearly every article I write, I include my conviction that mindset is a critical piece of the good health puzzle. Our input driver our thoughts and beliefs, and what we believe drives our actions. It’s critical that we control our input! New York Time best-selling author, Dave Barry, asserts “My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start So far I’ve finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” Once we receive positive input, it’s essential to weave it into the fabric of fitness rather than a fabric of failure.

As a fitness professional, many of my clients are surprised that I don’t believe in “diets” or austere food or movement plans. As a matter of fact, I’ve tried most of these fitness regimens. It’s my sincere belief that the first thing you lose on a diet and crazy exercise programs is your sense of humor! How then is it possible to attain improved health without employing extreme fitness programs? As long as you’re not looking for a quick fix, it may be easier than you think.

When I start working with a new client, I never prescribe a fitness plan I think they can’t (or won’t) stick to. The first step on the road to improved health for all of us is to take an inventory of what changes we will implement at least 80% of the time, for life. This includes making a list of food we loath and movements we’re either afraid of or intensely dislike. I’m aware that this is a counter-intuitive approach, but I’ve learned that it’s nearly impossible to make someone do what they hate, especially for the long term. Once we’ve established what we absolutely will NOT do, everything else is fair game. Then, and only then, can we create an individually-tailored program that can be adhered to for a lifetime.

So before you decide to “drink all your meals” or eliminate any one of the food groups from your eating plan, remember, strategies for attaining proper weight, body composition and health are not “one size fits all” propositions. It’s important to seek the services of an accredited fitness professional who can assist you with your customized long-term fitness plan. Only through a personalized approach can a fitness plan, goal, or resolution be achieved without “falling off the wagon” over the long-term. When January gets here, be sure to have a plan in place that will last a lifetime.

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