Do you go through a weekly workout routine without giving it much thought?  Hey – not judging…I’ve been guilty of this as well. What type of exercises we do, whether cardio or strength training, are many times chosen based on our schedules and how much time we have available for a workout. Personally, I tend to lean toward cardio workouts, and find I have to work strength training into my weekly schedule, else it would get pushed aside.  Regardless of what you choose to do on a regular basis, the real question is:  How do you know if what you’re doing is helping you reach your fitness goals?

5  Simple Ways to Gauge Progress…

1.  First, if you are just starting out with a regular schedule, give yourself 6-8 weeks, (preferably, 12), before assessing your progress. Changing too much too soon can hinder progress. (Still waiting for results? Keep at it, and have patience)

2.  If your goal is weight loss, don’t avoid the scale. I recommend weighing in about once per week. Any more, and you may become frustrated by daily fluctuations. If you are not losing weight despite regular workouts and healthier eating, then perhaps you need to add longer cardio sessions, add strength training to your cardio routine, or jump into interval training.

3.  If your goal is to increase strength, a simple check to see if your routine is working is to ask yourself this question: Is your last repetition easier than it was a week or two ago? If so , you are getting stronger. Or, if  you can easily perform more repetitions, then your routine is working and it is time to increase your load. (Strength training progression)

4.  Are your clothes fitting differently? Sometimes body shape changes before there are changes on the scale.

5.  Are you able to workout longer during your cardio workouts, and without as much huffing and puffing? If yes, then it is time to increase distance, speed, or incline so that changes continue to take place. (How to build endurance)

Most importantly, be consistent. What you do every day matters more than what you do once in awhile, so give your body time to adapt to the changes you’re striving for. (Get past road blocks to find your path to fitness)

I’ve noticed a common theme lately among clients, neighbors and friends who are trying to focus on making healthier choices every day, but are somehow falling short of their own expectations: lack of focus. Perhaps the bar is set too high, or your time and energy are spread too thin? There could be many reasons for those days, or even weeks, when you just aren’t as motivated to do all of the healthy things you know you should.

My advice:

• Don’t beat yourself up. You’re entitled to a little down time, and I think it is healthier to take a break and get back on track when you’re good and ready, than to fall off the wagon completely and never get back on. Use the down time to re-assess your goals, your motivation for adopting a healthier lifestyle, and no matter what, don’t give yourself a bad grade.
• Change can be scary, but it can also breathe new life into your workout routine and get you excited about exercising again. A recent article in Forbes magazine highlighted fitness trends for 2008 – why not try one? Forbes – Fitness Trends
• Try a new recipe — even mixing up what you eat and when can motivate you to keep making healthy choices. Check out Eating Well for ideas.
• Challenge yourself. If you stick to your routine faithfully for months, only to completely burn out and lose interest, maybe you’re not challenging yourself enough. Re-evaluate your fitness goals, or train for an upcoming race, or learn a new sport, such as rock climbing, boxing or soccer.

Check out these websites for inspirational ideas:

Women’s Sports Foundation

Beginner Triathlete

Hal Higdon – a great resource for marathon training from one of the most highly respected experts in the running world.

What’s going to keep you going when it gets hard? (And, it will get hard.) Let’s take a peek at a scenario: you start an exercise program and stick with it long enough to elicit decent results. You’re feeling pretty good about your progress, hit your target date (insert: vacation, wedding, reunion, etc.), then WHAM! you fall off the wagon and sit along the side of the road watching your ride disappear into the distant horizon. Gotcha – didn’t I? Have you been there? Done that?

The trick to keeping yourself on track and focused on long-term weight management/optimal health goals is figuring out what motivates you. If what motivates you is a trip or vacation 6 to 8 weeks out — look out, you might be the one sitting on the side of the road soon. Why? Your motivation isn’t intrinsic – that is, it isn’t coming from within you. Rather, you are working toward a goal for external (and dare I mention, “short term”) reasons. When all is said and done, and your goal is reached, you’ll ditch your workout for your old routine of television and a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s. I guarantee it.

So how do you keep going? Do it for the right reasons: long-term health…because you want to feel great everyday for the rest of your life…because setting an example for your kids is, as Martha would say, “a good thing.” Oh, and because you can.

For more on this topic, check out: Breaking The Pattern: How Motivation Plays A Role In Getting Healthy