You've been working out regularly for quite a while, but you're nowhere near your fitness goals. So now it's time to bring in your ultimate weapon your mind.
Rather than thinking of fitness as something mysterious that you do with your body, take an analytical, goal oriented approach to making physical improvements that stick. Try these tips for creating a smart fitness plan:
Define your goals. Whether it's to lose fat and gain muscle or to run a triathlon, it's vital to have a goal to work toward.Knowing where you're going makes it easier to take the right steps.
Get realistic. Training gains are met through consistent effort over a period of time. Don't expect dramatic, overnight results regardless of what exercise equipment informercials claim. Reward yourself for all the little positive steps you take and for consistently striving forward.
Be yourself. Work toward a goal that you can achieve with your body. Don't try to change your basic shape or to go against your own unique physical capabilities. Take an objective look at yourself, then work toward enhancing what you've got rather than trying to attain someone else's body.
Do your research. If you are not making progress, ask a qualified personal trainer to analyze your routine and your goals. Read health and fitness magazines. There's tons of great fitness information out there tailor6 it to fit you.
Identify your weaknesses, then use your brain to outsmart them. Many people avoid their weak points or bad habits, hoping that they can ignore them into oblivion1. Instead, take them up as clues to how you can improve. Keep a food and fitness journal for a month. Then analyze it for negative patterns. If you always overeat late at night, try going to a latenight movie to get your mind off food. If you tend to fade out on your workouts on weekends, plan some fun exercise with friends to spice up your lagging routine.
Create a fitness network. Integrate the important people in your life into your fitness quest. Get your whole group involved in healthy activities and eating that way they won't be tempting you to fall off the fitness wagon. Instead, you'll all be leading one another toward healthier bodies and minds.
