Let’s face it. Not many people are thrilled about exercising regularly, working out hard, or even getting out of their comfort zone (probably the couch). According to the current obesity statistics, not many people seem to be willing to participate in any form of exercise, period. (Maybe their couch is pretty comfortable.)
Finding an Activity That Matches Your Personal Style
It is well-known that maintaining an active lifestyle has its benefits. The practice of regular physical activity not only promotes physical health but also has a positive impact on our mental state. Several studies have shown that exercise promotes self-confidence and self-esteem, improves mood and energy levels, may fight anxiety and depression, and improves cognitive function, among others. With all those benefits in mind, one could believe that exercise should be a priority in everyone’s life. Unfortunately, that is far from true.
Do You Have What It Takes?
It is already February and probably by now most people don’t even remember their New Year’s Resolutions. This is because the “resolution high” has finally passed, life has returned to normal, and priorities have shifted once again. How about you? Have you really given up on your goals so soon? Have you even tried to accomplish something, or were you just hoping that things would magically change? Well, if that is your case, you probably want to take some time to reflect on your mindset.
Training with a Purpose
Starting an exercise program doesn’t seem to be a problem for most people. After all, many of us begin every year with a club membership and lots of good intentions. However, sticking to the plan is another story. According to fitness specialists, dropout rates are as high as 50% in the first six months. As a trainer, my goal is to improve exercise adherence. Therefore, I would like to suggest one thing: exercise with a goal in mind. This is because when you have something concrete to pursue, you’ll be more likely to stick to your program. In addition, it is easier to create a plan of action when you know exactly what you want from your training.
SOS! Save Me from a Boring Exercise Routine
I don’t know who came up with the concept that to be fit, we have to create a routine and stick to it. It is not that I don’t understand why. After all, practice makes perfect, right? The only problem is that routines are BORING, and if we can’t find joy in an activity, we’ll ditch it sooner or later.
Realistic Goals for Beginners
When starting a new exercise program, we usually expect big results. We tend to focus on the pounds we want to lose, the dress sizes we wish to drop, the super-toned legs we intend to get, or the killer arms we desire to build. What we hardly ever realize is that these are long-term goals, meaning that they won’t happen in a week or two of training. The problem is that we never seem to stick to a program long enough to actually experience those changes. This creates feelings of failure and frustration. But don’t think that you’ll never be able to overcome this barrier. All you need is some guidance.
Motivation and Maintenance
Starting a new exercise program is easy when compared to maintaining an exercise routine for the long run. That is so true; we do it every year. When the holiday season ends and a new year begins, many of us decide that it is time for a change. We make big plans and get all excited about them. And it works really well for the first few weeks. We push ourselves hard and never miss a training session. We tend to think that if some exercise is good, then more is better. But unfortunately, this leads to overtraining, fatigue, and sometimes injuries. Exercising is not fun anymore and it becomes a burden. We lose the interest in healthy activities, and nothing seems to motivate us anymore. We start using anything as an excuse to skip workouts, and when we least expect, we are back to our old not-so-healthy lifestyle. Why does this happen?