Choosing Fitness or Fatness
How committed are you to
achieving your weight loss goal as we head into bathing suit season? Are
you hitting the gym, guns blazing, ready to take off all the pounds you’ve
been putting on over the winter and spring . . . finally ready to look
amazing for that vacation — or are you just going through the motions at
the gym, already having given up?
Anyone reading this can
achieve their goal to lose 100-plus pounds, get a washboard six-pack or
build some sexy muscles, although the process isn’t instant, but rather
takes hard work and dedication. Many of you may be thinking, “I don’t need
help; I can do it myself. I can gain the discipline. Besides, I know my
body better than anyone.”
Well, folks, those are
pleasant thoughts, but really just a fantasy, unless you are a qualified
nutritionist, a professional trainer or someone with intimate knowledge
about how the human body functions. Do you really know what happens to
your biochemistry or hormones when you exercise or eat certain foods? Do
you have a foolproof regimen that will get you in the best shape of your
life?
Sure, a select few might
accidentally stumble onto the right path and actually get fit on their
own. Most, though, will stay motivated long enough to see just a few
results, but quickly find themselves frustrated after spending two or
three months in the gym without coming anywhere near their goals. It’s not
that your body can’t do it — the slow results are more likely due to many
other factors: you don’t exactly know what you’re doing; you’re following
the wrong program for the results you want; your dieting/eating plan isn’t
right for your body’s biochemistry; you are not pushing yourself hard
enough; or you are not persistent enough.
What would you do if you
suddenly heard your car begin to make a loud clinking sound? Would you get
under the hood, bang around for an hour or so, and then walk away
shrugging, figuring you’ll just dump the car because you’ll never be able
to fix it? No, of course not. You’d hire a professional who knew what he
was doing, and you’d have him work on the car for as long as he needed to,
and order whichever parts were necessary to fix it. Granted, depending on
the problem, the mechanic might have to troubleshoot for a while to
determine exactly what was wrong. It’s even possible that he might not
have fixed it properly the first time, and you could find yourself taking
it back for further repair. Bottom line, though, is you’d make sure your
car was fixed, wouldn’t you?
The situation with getting
in shape is no different. Why would you insist on doing things yourself
when you most likely have fairly little knowledge about how the human body
works? Rest assured, it is far more complicated than a car — and you’re
not likely to tinker with your vehicle unassisted, and expect great
results, right? So why try to develop an exercise and eating plan yourself
when you can hire a qualified trainer and learn by asking specific
questions about the exact steps you should be taking.
There’s a tendency for
people who’ve never worked with a trainer to feel intimidated when they
first meet one. They often feel the trainer will judge them or be
unnecessarily harsh. These fears are generally unfounded, though. Just
like your mechanic wouldn’t expect you to know everything about your car’s
engine, personal trainers work with people who want to get in shape, but
they don’t expect them to have all the answers. If you had all the
answers, you wouldn’t need the trainer — or the mechanic — would you?
Of course you want to set
a goal for getting in shape —don’t ever give up on yourself or this goal
because “a quitter never wins and a winner never quits.” You can even try
it on your own first, but don’t be surprised if you don’t achieve quite
the same results as you would if you were to hire a professional. If money
is an issue, you might start by hiring a professional trainer for a short
period of time. Work with them periodically, if it’s not possible to work
with them on a more consistent basis.
One thing that will make
or break your success is your own decision to stay motivated. Ask anyone
at your gym who is really fit — you can never take a break for a while to
stop exercising. Look at that lean, healthy person and understand why they
are in such great shape — they have that physique because they continue to
hit the gym and exercise from day to day, and they consistently push
themselves. Understand that it took hard work for them to get where they
are — and they remain in great shape because they continue to eat healthy
and exercise regularly. If you want similar results, you must be committed
to exercising and eating right.
Just as you didn’t get out
of shape overnight, neither should you expect to lose all your weight
right away. It will take time for your body to adjust to your new fitness
plan and begin to burn fat and shed those unwanted inches. You can stay
motivated by taking measurements to monitor your progress. As long as you
keep losing inches and sizes, you will be happy because you are moving in
the right direction. Remember, only time invested in consistent exercise
and correct eating will keep those inches melting away.
Celebrate your progress
and remember how much work you have put into it. Sure, you might not be
where you want to be yet, but acknowledge that you are slowly working
toward your goal. Don’t have unrealistic ideas about your weight-loss
goals, as those will simply sabotage your progress. Remember, every body
is different — and each of us needs a program designed specifically for
our needs and body type. How quickly you will lose weight depends a lot on
how well-designed your program is. So be happy with your progress, and
know that as long as you continue to adjust your eating and exercise
programs according to your body’s adjustments, you will continue making
more progress and be where you want to be in no time at all.
Make no mistake, there may
be times when the goal seems impossible and you may want to give up.
Don’t! Be persistent and continue to push yourself harder each time —
pushing past the tough parts is the only way you will continue to succeed
in achieving your goal. In the beginning, it can be painful to exercise
and move through the challenging exercise regimens and cardio routines.
Remember, though, the harder you push yourself now, the faster you will
see your desired results. Another reason it’s important to consult a
professional trainer has to do with safety. You want to know the
difference between pushing your body to its limits and hurting yourself —
injuries are not the goal. Make sure you know that the inevitable pain you
will experience is just your muscles burning, and not an injury due to
improper exercise form.
Even the healthiest person
with the fittest body stumbles every now and again. Remember to keep your
eye on your goal and to acknowledge your short-term successes. Stepping
off your fitness path temporarily by skipping the guy or eating one or two
bad meals is no reason to quit altogether. The more quickly you get back
on your health plan — getting back to the gym and getting your eating
regulated — the sooner you will resume your path to progress. It’s only
when that one meal turns into weeks and months of bad eating, or that one
day of skipping the gym turns into weeks and months of not exercising,
that our fitness goals are really at risk. You’re human, and you will
never be perfect. There will always be the next meal and the next day to
get back on track.
Why not make this the
summer you finally fit into that bikini you’ve been dreaming about for
years? Get those rock-hard abs and feel how great it is to have a tight,
gorgeous body. You can do it — just set those goals, and stick to them no
matter what. | 
Personal Training
