What I want to talk about this month is staying mentally positive and removing the barriers we place in our lives. I have devoted myself and the mission of Lifelong Fitness to helping you improve your lifestyle in the realm of fitness and nutrition. The #1 BARRIER to achieving your goals lies in between your ears, and it is called your BRAIN! I am going to offer you a challenge this month that I want you to abide by and YES it will require some effort on your part, but it will pay off and your fitness and nutrition will benefit immensely from it.
Challenge:
I want you to take a note pad and write down EVERY negative thought that you have in regards to fitness and nutrition (if you want to make it even more effective write down all of your negative thoughts period), and I also want you to write down your positive thoughts. At first you will probably notice that the list is stacked favorably towards the negative column. The goal is to quickly neutralize your thoughts and eventually allow the positive thoughts to dominate the column. Do this for ONE MONTH SOLID. No exceptions. No excuses.
The Reward:
The payoff for doing this simple exercise is that you will begin to see things differently. Your outlook will begin to change because you will be able to see how negative you truly have become. Our society today is negative…end of sentence, PERIOD! We have become a nation of pessimists and have suffered the consequences as a result. I have a hard time being around negative people but I thrive around the positive ones. My challenge is to change your attitudinal ways and switch into positive mode…you will thank yourself for it and life won’t be so overwhelming for you.
Top Four Reasons for Exercise Drop-Out
I pulled this article from The New Hartford.
Unrealistic Expectations. Blame it on the media, dishonest marketing schemes or human nature; Americans want results and they want it NOW. In a country where you can ingest 2,000 calories in the matter of a few minutes and have the oil changed in your car immediately, some expect exercise progress to be seen daily. Attempting to generate visible physical improvement after a few weeks of training is unrealistic and frustrating, however, long-term fitness improvement requires a personal commitment to engaging in a process.
Time Management. We, as a nation, are busy people. Work, recreation, family and even sleep are crammed into every nook and cranny of our day. Unless exercise is prioritized and scheduled with the same sense of urgency as other important activities, exercise dropout will be the norm. Most successful exercisers work out early in the day, before any other activities get in the way.
Knowledge. Most beginners and many exercise veterans simply do not know what to do or how to organize an effective program. Exercise prescription requires a basic understanding of the body’s physiology, proper sequencing of exercises and most important, the specific needs of each individual. Many beginners think nothing of paying a trained automobile mechanic generous sums of money to repair their car but balk at paying a similar fee for a trained exercise scientist to prescribe their individualized fitness program.
Boredom. After about six to eight weeks of engaging in the same fitness program, most people get bored and drop out. It is essential that your exercise program be modified every few weeks. Your initial six to eight weeks involves actually learning the movements and results seem to come easy. From that point on, muscle fibers actually have to adapt by becoming thicker and stronger in order for results to be recognized. For that reason alone, exercise protocols need to be changed periodically.
I particularly appreciate #1. Remember that the ACSM recommends a MAX of 1-2 lbs per week. If you are trying to lose more than that you are compromising your progress. Think of it this way…if it took you a while to put it on, it will take you a while to take off, so please stay realistic and it will ease your mental burden and allow the process to take place without the undue expectations.
You guy’s rock and I appreciate ALL of you! Please contact me with any questions.