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9
Ideas to Help You KEEP
Your Fitness Resolutions This Year
If you're like more than 80 percent of Americans, you made at least
one resolution this year, and chances are pretty good that it has
something to do with weight loss, improved eating habits, or getting
healthier. Resolutions are great. Research has shown that people who
explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their
goals than people who don't make focused resolutions. The problem is
that more than half of all people abandon their resolutions within
the first three months of the new year.
If you are among the multitudes who made losing weight, improving
your nutrition, or achieving better overall health as one of your
resolutions for 2007, there are some very concrete steps you can
take so that you actually adhere to them. It doesn't matter if
you've never kept a resolution in your life – you
can do this, with a
little help.
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Don't go it
alone! Get professional assistance in the form of a qualified
personal trainer. It never fails. The new year
rolls around, and you think to yourself, "This year, I'm going
to do it. I'm going to be disciplined enough, focused enough,
committed enough to stick to this resolution." And then, when
push comes to shove, you somehow fall down on the job with
regard to that discipline, focus, and commitment. That is
precisely when it is beneficial to have a professional in your
corner to support you, encourage you, and teach you the best
ways to achieve your weight loss, fitness, and nutrition goals.
Studies have shown that employing a fitness professional to help
you reach your goals more than doubles people's success rate.
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Choose an
obtainable goal. Resolving to look like a
super model is not realistic for most of us, but committing to a
weight training program three days a week is very possible. A
personal trainer can help you define your goals, as well as
setting a realistic timeline for achieving them.
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Create a game
plan. This dovetails with the goal selection
segment. The most important thing in sticking to your
resolutions is making them realistic. The second most important
thing, though, is creating a plan to achieve those goals. Again,
a personal trainer can be of enormous help when it comes to
creating a personalized nutrition and exercise plan that will
work for you.
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Break your
resolution down to make it less intimidating.
Rather than focusing exclusively on one BIG end goal, chop it
into smaller pieces. Setting several smaller goals you want to
achieve throughout the year will make reaching your ultimate
goal much easier. For example, if your resolution is to train to
run a marathon, your smaller goals could be running 3 miles a
day for the first couple of months, adding time and distance as
you move through the year, as well as incorporating strength
training to increase your muscular endurance.
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Have a
contingency plan.
Don't assume that sticking to your resolution will
automatically be smooth sailing, regardless of how determined
you are. Know ahead of time that you will likely hit bumps along
the road to your resolution and have specific backup strategies
in place to help you overcome them. What will keep you from
skipping your workout or stop you from having that latte on your
way to work? Another way a personal trainer can be effective is
in helping you anticipate your stumbling blocks and creating
ways around them. He or she will keep you accountable and
focused on achieving your goals.
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Reward yourself
for each milestone you hit. If you've stuck
with your resolution for two months, treat yourself to something
special. However, be careful of what you use as your reward. If
you've lost 5 pounds, don't run out to celebrate with pizza and
beer. Instead, treat yourself to something healthful, relaxing,
and supportive, like a professional massage or a manicure.
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Write down your
resolution and record your progress. You're
likely aware of the "SMART" acronym for achieving goals. Make
sure your goals are Specific,
Measurable,
Attainable,
Realistic,
and Timely.
Keeping a record helps with all of those aspects of achieving
your goal.
Are you ready? This year, your resolution does not have to crash and
burn by the first of February. You can set a weight loss, fitness,
or health goal and actually achieve it. If you follow these steps,
you will have greater success than you've ever experienced in the
past, even if you do it on your own.
But if you are really determined to create a new you this year,
consider all of the benefits of having a qualified personal trainer
in your corner. He or she will help you set realistic goals, create
a game plan, break the goal down into smaller components, help you
plan for roadblocks, keep you accountable, and enable you to achieve
your goal by the date you have set.
Here's to you and your resolutions. Make it a great 2007!
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