Tips & Tricks for a Fitter You in 2010

First, happy New Year! Second, I’m going to go ahead and assume that since you’re reading this right now you: a) Already have a solid grip on your fitness regimen but you’re always looking for new inspiration; b) Are grasping at straws for a miracle to unlock your inner determination for a fitter you in 2010; or c) Have already purchased that DVD/gym membership/treadmill but need some serious tips on how to stick with it and make this the last year you resolve to get fit.

No matter which category you fall into, who couldn’t use some extra tips for their arsenal this time of year? Although I’m not a big cheerleader of resolutions, I do subscribe to setting goals and laying down the framework to follow through. In my experience most people who resolve to lose weight or train harder at the beginning of the year have locked down WHAT they need to do, but haven’t confronted the HOW. Which is why it’s pandemonium at the gym in January and by February you can hear crickets.

Humor me here – if there is any time you allow me to be your Influencer, let that time be now with this newsletter installment. Watch me step off my soapbox and bring to you...

Tips & Tricks for a Fitter You in 2010
Find a partner(s). Ask those supporters in your life if they’d mind helping you stay on track throughout the year. Have extra cash? Hire a personal trainer (aka: accountability partner) for a few sessions. Nothing sparks gym-motivation like knowing someone is waiting for you... and taking your money whether you show or not!

Blog about it. I know there are already a million blogs out there, but nothing sparks motivation more than sharing your goals with the entire healthy living community. Not a blogger? Consider launching one *just* for the beginning of the year. You can password protect the blog if you’d like or not even tell anyone you’ve launched it. The mere act of typing out and posting your goals may be motivation enough.

Set new short term goals. Try setting challenges which have nothing to do with the scale yet everything to do with fitness.  Devise your own pushup challenge (love this one!). Set a goal of walking your own personal 5k one weekend. Make the focus on increasing your fitness level before mid-2010 and not on changing the number on the scale.

Always have an exercise plan B. Don’t let “I’m not in the mood for XYZ workout” even qualify as an excuse. When planning your workouts for the week, create a few back-up plans in case time or your motivation threatens to derail your exercise time. Snag a few workout DVDS, record a couple of workout TV shows, buy a jump rope or hula hoop at the dollar store. Always set yourself up for success and roll with a Plan B.

Think outside the box. Keep your workouts fun, always challenging, and enjoyable. Learn how to box or take dancing lessons. Whatever it is, try to take the ‘work’ notion out of your workout.

Just start! It’s trite but very true that if we begin a workout (even if we decide from the start we’re “allowed” to stop) we typically tend to finish it. Eighty percent of success is showing up (I didn’t just make that up). Make showing up a non-negotiable.

Set up a reward system. Another well-worn piece of motivation advice yet one which I frequently see people NOT doing. Make today the day you create a thorough list of things YOU find rewarding from the free to the costly. 

Be patient. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Focus on being healthy and feeling good rather than how much weight you’ve lost. Most people don’t see results for 6-8 weeks.

Create a training log. Write down your workout before you go to the gym. On days you feel sore, write a smiley face next to that workout so you know what you should be doing again.

And my (aka: Nike’s) best advice in a nutshell? JUST DO IT!

Meet the Trainer

Crystal is a certified personal trainer through the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She has a passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle and
coaching them to push their limits beyond what they
think they are capable of.