1. Work out the why, don’t just workout - You know the health benefits of physical activity. You want to feel good, drop some of that excess weight, increase your energy levels, improve your mood and make the commitment to a healthier life. You will be more successful if you focus on immediate positive feelings such as stress reduction, increased energy and making friends. The only way we are going to prioritise time to exercise is if it is going to deliver some kind of benefit that is truly compelling and valuable to our daily life.
2. Set yourself short and long-term SMART goals that are:
Specific
Measureable
Achievable
Realistic
Time based
3. Pick a favourite -Think about what you like doing. Consider the environment you’d enjoy when being physically active. It might be indoor, outdoor, in a pool or with equipment. This will make it more enjoyable, which helps to keep you motivated.
4. Make the time to exercise - You don’t have to find hours each day to exercise. With just 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity – that increases your heart rate and breathing – on most, if not all days, you’ll notice the benefits.
5. Plan, prioritise and adjust - Plan your week/month ahead of time, make it realistic and stick to it. Make some allowances for missed sessions and setbacks. These are inevitable and a great learning experience. If you plan for and accept them, modifications can be made to your plan without major disruptions.
6. Turn everyday things into active time - Make your everyday tasks more active. Take the stairs. Work up a housework sweat! Park your car further away. Break up long periods of sitting by standing and moving around. Spend active time with the kids – play in the park or backyard.
7. Review your plans and goals, and track your progress - You may find that you can gradually increase some activities while others are just too hard. You could consider more convenient times to exercise or find some new activities. There may be times when expert advice from a health or exercise professional may be needed for you to break through plateaus in your training progress. Tracking your progress can be a great motivator. Keep a diary or use one of the apps for phone or tablet that are available. Reaching each goal will give you the confidence to strive for the next one.
8. Up the ante - Now add the extra day or two of training, don’t become complacent, try something new and keep the body guessing. The body does remember and it needs to be kept guessing so coming in and doing the same workouts week in week out will cause the body to stop working as efficiently as you want it to. Mix it up and step outside of your comfort zone- that’s where the magic happens!
9. Reward yourself - Have a reward system in place, make smaller goals within your main goal and have something to look forward to. It could be as simple as a new outfit, a nice meal out or something else that makes you happy. By having small goals they are more achievable and this will help keep your eye on the prize.
10. Make it a habit - This is THE most important thing, CONSISTENCY IS KEY. Training once or twice a week or intermittently won’t get you the results you’re looking for. You need to make a plan and stick to it.
Remember our team is here to help you along your fitness journey, so come and chat with us! We love seeing our members reach their health and fitness goals.