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As you may have discovered
for yourself, sticking with an exercise program long enough to
make it an actual habit can be difficult, to say the least. While
hopefully most of you reading this are either currently exercising
or planning to start doing so in the near future, almost all of
you will at one time or another grow tired of your current fitness
program. That is the point that will either make or break you.
In order to make fitness a lifestyle and develop a new and lasting
habit for yourself, you have to persevere beyond the point that
initial boredom may set in.
Unfortunately, most people expect immediate results when undergoing
a fitness program, and expecting so often leaves people disappointed
when they don’t meet those high expectations. If you stop
and think logically about how it took you possibly three years
of living a sedentary lifestyle, eating fast food, and not exercising,
then it is logical not to expect to drop 20 pounds of body fat
and gain five pounds of muscle in the first month!
Rather than expect immediate results, you should focus on taking
it one day at a time and look for the enjoyment and feeling of
fulfillment in your new lifestyle. Trust that your efforts will
pay off, and look, listen, and feel how your body is changing.
It will surprise you how in-touch you can actually become with
your body over the course of a few years. Observe whether or not
you feel an increase in energy, or possible you are hungry more
often than you were before (signifying an increase in metabolism).
You may notice a feeling of rejuvenation for life—you’re
now looking forward to each day because you’re feeling good!
Along with that may come feelings of optimism and maybe even improved
relationships with loved ones. Possibly you won’t require
as much sleep as you did before. You’ll probably be surprised
at the impact the exercise can make on your life.
These are things that most people overlook when passing judgment
on their newly undertaken fit lifestyle. It is obviously important
to achieve physical results as well, like changes in body measurements,
weight, and the way your clothing fit, especially if your life
depends on it, but don’t overlook the intrinsic changes along
the way.
So remember to give yourself some time and don’t expect immediate
results. Instead just try and learn to enjoy the process. It actually
feels good to feel good!
Melissa Allen is a certified
personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well
as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training
and kickboxing instruction. She is a regular columnist with various
newspapers and welcomes input from her readers. Please contact
her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling
(619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her
website at www.optimumcondition.com. |
