Written by: Drew Schultz, NC Personal Trainer/Kinesis Instructor, O2 Fitness Falls/540
Across the nation, people have resolved to get in shape for New Year's. That's great, but by March, many of these people have quit altogether, despite their best intentions. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sports Club Association (IHRSA), 50% of new health and fitness club members quit within six months. Let's identify four things you can do, if you think you are susceptible to this, to make sure you stay on track.
Set clear, attainable fitness goals.
Without a clear direction, we're just wandering down a path. No one goes on a trip or vacation without planning and a destination in mind. If you're not sure about what exact goals are realistic or how to achieve them, then one of our O2 Fitness personal trainers can sit down with you and listen to your needs in order to help you with this journey.
Visualize your ideal result.
Once you have set a goal for yourself, visualize it continually. All top performers use visualization. Whether its in sports, business, or any profession, top achievers are intensely focused on their goals and have decided from the outset just exactly how they picture themselves in the future- as though they are living it right now.
Make fitness habit forming.
Experts often tell us that it takes twenty one days of persistence until a habit is ingrained. However, it may take between one second to several years, depending on all the factors involved. Starting out with three, nonconsecutive trips to the fitness club per week is a solid, structured start. One problem that prevents New Year's Resolutioners from staying on track is exceptions and excuses interrupt their progress. If this is something you have committed to, then by all means, commit. It should be priority number one, and don't let one thing stop you.
Think positive!
Positive thinking ties in with the first three. They all interconnect and overlap. When you are tempted to blow off a workout because you "don't feel like it", remind yourself that anyone else who has done something difficult had to overcome this temptation as well.
Recalling your goals and the positive benefits surrounding them, along with visualizing your end result will counteract those negative temptations. Positive thinking makes discipline much easier than if you are thinking about the excuses for why you would rather not perform the task.
Discipline is doing the things you would rather not do, but decide to do them anyway because you have a burning desire to achieve the goal you set for yourself. Henry Ford said, "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."
I hope you have found these four principles helpful. Keep them present in your mind, and resolve today to make this year the best year yet for your fitness!
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