Before you start an exercise program: Get inside your head!

How many times have you started an exercise regimen, only to stop after a few months, weeks, or even days? Trust me on this – you are NOT alone.  I’m using exercise as an example here, but there are myriad ways we start/stop something before reaching the goal.  Off the top of my head, I can think of several projects I’ve started, and not finished: a book proposal, re-organizing our closets, and giving the toy room a complete overhaul. Paralyzed by the enormity of the projects, the time they will take, etc., it is hard to stay on task. I’m going to follow my own advice below, using what I know about achieving fitness goals, to tackle my projects. I’ll let you know how it goes

Here are 3 Steps to take BEFORE you start an exercise program (or begin any large project):

Step 1: Know what you want to achieve

This seems like an obvious thing to consider before starting any project, but many times this crucial first step is overlook. If your weight loss journey is to be a lasting and successful one, it must become part of who you are, so sit down and really think about what you want to achieve. Not what you hope to achieve, what you want to achieve. What is your intention? Is to lose weight? How much weight do you want to lose? Is it to get in shape? What kind of shape do you want to be in – marathon-running shape, toned and more energetic, or would you be happy just getting up the stairs without getting winded? These are important considerations –  without a clear sense of what you want, you’ll become easily distracted en route to your destination and the journey itself won’t be nearly as efficient, productive, fun or rewarding.

When stating your intention, keep it broad and brief, at least in the beginning. Intentions that are too specific are difficult to achieve. So use the KISS philosophy: Keep It Simple, Silly

Example of a broad intention: “To develop a healthy body composition.”

Example of an intention that is too specific: “To lose 2 lbs per week for 8 straight weeks by running five times per week for 40 minutes and by limiting calorie intake to 1500 calories per day.”  Even if you feel and look better at the 8-week mark, if you didn’t lose 16 lbs as you intended, you’ll likely see failure rather than success, even though you did have success.

Step 2: Know why you want it.

In other words, who is behind the change (you, or something/someone else?) If you want to lose 30 lbs, why do you want to lose 30lbs? Is this your decision? Your spouses? Your physicians? Your mothers? Know why you want what you want. The most lasting and successful plan will come from clear reasons why you want it. Spend time fleshing this out – it is important. If the catalyst for change is someone/something other than you, your odds of being successful are slim.

Write it down now. Why do you want it?

Step 3: Know what you like to do.

This almost seems to obvious too mention, but I am frequently stunned at the blank stare on clients’ faces when I ask, “what activities do you enjoy most?” Participating in an activity that you enjoy increases the likelihood you will stick with your fitness plan, so spend a few moments on these next two points:

1. Consider the type of exercise you like to do and when you prefer to

do it (morning, evening, mid-afternoon).

2. Make a list of all of the activities you enjoy doing, even past sports

you participated in, and childhood activities that were fun. Why do (did) you like these activities?

I bet that you are your own worst critic. If you spent one week paying attention to your reactions, thoughts, comments, etc., many, or maybe most of them would be negative. It is challenging when we are bombarded day in and day out with negativity. I’ve made myself more aware of it now, because I want to think positive thoughts, but when I started to pay attention to the negative messages surrounding me everyday, then also the nasty little critical voice in my own head, I realized how much negativity I allowed into my life. I’m now much more guarded about what I watch, see, hear, pay attention to, and think. It has made a huge difference in my life, and it will in yours too.

Watch what you say. If you regularly hear yourself saying, “I’m not prepared…,” “I’m not good at…,” “I’ve never been able to…,” or “I always fail at…,” then you probably won’t get far if your health or fitness goal is to achieve something that requires these qualities. Verbalizing your weaknesses, fears, doubts and negativity, either internally or out loud, sets you up for certain disappointment. You are what you think about most of the time, so think positive thoughts. Tell yourself you can do it, even if you don’t yet believe it. This is the one time it is okay to pretend – “fake it until you make it.” Self-doubt and excuses have halted the progress of many would-be achievers. Don’t let that happen to you. Believe in yourself, keep working toward your fitness and health goals, and don’t stop trying until you get there.

Take a minute to record any negative thoughts you have on any given day, then put a positive spin on each one to turn it into a gem of an affirmation.

Here is an example:

Old self-talk:  I don’t think I have enough experience to try the circuit-training class at the gym.

New self-talk: I can do anything I put my mind too. That class looks interesting, so I will try it just once and give it my best effort.

Give positive self-talk a shot. It certainly can’t hurt. And if you fail, so what, right? Think positive thoughts, and go for it!

Earth Day is nearing, and I’m in the mood to recycle, reuse, etc. (Also, I’m really busy this week and out of original ideas to write about.) BUT, as luck would have it – I’ve unearthed some of my articles from waaaay back, and will be posting them all week long. Recycle, reuse, re-purpose…call it what you will, in honor of the upcoming Earth Day (drum roll please)...THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-MONITORING!

Self-Monitoring is essentially the process of recording various aspects of behavior and progress toward your health and fitness goals. The act of logging your daily journey toward improved health allows you to clearly see where you started, where you are now, and where you are headed. It is a motivational tool seldom taken advantage of, yet it can yield tremendous results when implemented correctly.

What do you log?

• Food intake
• Workout details (what you did, how long you did it, or why you didn’t exercise on a particular day, how it felt, etc.)
• Changes to your routine

By logging your food/exercise habits, you can:

• Measure your progress
• Evaluate inconsistencies in your routine
• Identify problematic foods and eating patterns
• Make connections between various emotions and eating behavior
• Discover reasons why you do/don’t exercise on certain days
• Decide if it is time to make changes to your routine

The process of tracking your progress enables you to modify your behaviors on the fly. For example, by tracking your workouts and food intake, you may discover that you do great during the workweek, but free fall out of control on the weekends, overeating and putting off exercise. Or, you may find that fatigue in the evenings prevents you from working out consistently. In this case, switching to morning workouts may be the solution that leads to lasting success.

Research confirms that the practice of self-monitoring increases success.

Often, we overlook progress and choose to focus on “all-or-nothing” thinking. When this happens, those little setbacks or changes in your schedule can derail your efforts for days, weeks, or permanently. By monitoring yourself on a consistent basis, you can evaluate what is working and what isn’t, where your weaknesses lie, and gain an overall picture of the changes taking place. This lessons the likelihood for failure by a large degree.

Follow these tips to get the most out of your exercise / nutrition-tracking system:

• Do get in the habit of focusing on your successes.
• Don’t give yourself a bad grade when you slip up.
• Do evaluate your strategies often to notice what is working and what is not.
• Do focus on what you can control: workout length, workout intensity, type of exercise, and what you eat, rather than focusing on what you can’t control (blood pressure, body fat, medical needs, losing “x” number of pounds today).
• Do record your thoughts/feelings associated with exercising and eating and the beliefs you need to work on changing.
• Do tweak your routines and diet when you aren’t noticing progress. Small changes can bring big results.
• Do keep a positive attitude at all times.