Improve Your Fitness

GO BACK TO BASICS

Based on the many studies I have researched I would estimate that the ratio of successful personal fitness improvement plans vs. unsuccessful personal fitness improvement plans is somewhere around one in twenty when measured over more than a year’s time. This ratio doesn’t even count the times someone says they are going to get fit but never make an attempt to start.

If you happen to be one of the individuals in the unsuccessful group, and disappointed to be there, now is the time to try something different. I believe the primary reason for the lack of success is that most individuals don’t truly know up front what they are getting into. Before one even begins a fitness plan, people need to get their head straight and understand the degree of commitment it will take to be successful. Most scripted plans do not do this. They promise you everything, usually too quickly, but in the end leave you hanging trying to figure out where you went wrong.

The first step to success is to approach fitness improvement realistically and acknowledge to yourself that most plans do fail. To overcome the odds you must be willing to do a few extra things up front in order to get the odds more in your favor.

Understanding the following aspects of an effective fitness program is important:

• The first phases are of moderate difficulty.
• The middle phases get harder.
• The closing phase and continuation phase are by far the most difficult.
• The “I did it” phase is worth all of the aggravation of going through the initial steps.

Some additional thoughts to help you make a good start:

• Remind yourself, “you are who you are”. Don’t get sucked into a program that promises you will come out of it looking like Mr. or Mrs. America.
• Your friends or acquaintances may attempt to sabotage your efforts, be ready for it. They don’t necessarily have bad intentions, but a bit of jealousy can generate some counter production feedback.
• If you are paying for help and guidance, remember, most outsiders have an angle and you need to make sure the people helping you always have your best interest at stake vs. their own personal interest.

Be flexible. Unexpected situations are going to come up. Learn how to adjust your daily and weekly schedule accordingly. Don’t over-commit as you can always step up the pace at a later date if you so desire.

Accept that things will go wrong and be prepared mentally to constantly adjust your goals and plans.  Once you have a clear head and a good understanding about what a successful personal physical fitness plan entails then it is time to move forward.

Plot a course and get started:

• Draw a picture in your mind as to what you want to look like and feel like for the rest of your life. Be realistic. You can always raise the bar once you have successfully taken a few steps in the right direction.
• Pick a way(s) to get there. Aerobic exercise, strength exercises, diet, whatever, just decide and start. Don’t be picky as you can adjust as you go. Get whatever help you need as there is no shortage of information available. Just keep it simple and don’t fall for marketing gimmicks. The best thing to do is design the plan yourself, but this is not absolutely necessary. For assistance please read my blog from 9/3/10 titled “Develop your own customized fitness plan”.
• Start slow and be patient.
• Don’t quit even though you may like to, look past the moment and keep going.

Good luck!

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