Do you recall talking about New Year’s resolutions, goal setting and renewing your desire to get fit this year?
Do you recall talking about New Year’s resolutions, goal setting and renewing your desire to get fit this year? Well, with less than half the year left to go, how are you doing? Not active right now? Waiting for it to warm up, are you?
Unfortunately, the first mistake many people make when thinking about starting a fitness program is not thinking about it at the right time. They want to be fit and trim for the summer months, but when the mercury dips low, it’s all about covering up and staying warm.
That’s not good, because the stone cold truth is that if you want to be ready for the beach by the time we “spring forward”, you need to start working yesterday.
With proper exercise and eating habits, most overweight people can lose as much as a kilo a week. But don’t kid yourself. Even with the strictest adherence, you won’t lose a kilo every week. Some weeks you may lose more. Some weeks, well, not so much. Some weeks you’ll find it hard to stick your diet and exercise at all. It happens.
The human factor must always be considered. After a few weeks, you could be so successful that you’ll want to reward yourself by binging on junk food or skipping the gym for a few days – blowing a couple weeks of work. Maybe you’ll plateau, and not see results for a couple of weeks. That’s normal, but can cause great frustration.
You might not see results at all. This doesn’t mean you can’t do it, but means you may need some intervention. If so, you’re not alone. Many people with great intentions simply do it wrong. Don’t be afraid to seek advice.
Improving fitness is a matter of taking baby steps. Do your best, but anticipate problems and know what you need to do if they occur. By starting now, you’ll give yourself time to reach your goal and overcome some of those bumps along the way. As long as you take a dedicated approach, you’ll move toward your goal. Just remember to be reasonable with your expectations and patient with yourself.
By Brian Merrill, certified fitness trainer. Email: [email protected]
