January 2020 – It’s a New Year

RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR???
(Temporary Resolutions? Go for the long haul!)

     HOW are those New Year resolutions panning out for you? By now many gyms are seeing a drop off in visits. Why is this? There are so many ways to be active and healthy. Why are people not sticking to their resolutions?

     WHAT motivates people to be active? A heart attack sometimes works. The premature death of a loved one can work, too. Nagging never seems to work. Each person’s motivation is different. One thing I have learned after training clients for 25 years is that until a person decides it’s time, no other person or event can get that person to change.

     AN example would be reality weight loss shows. They train for hours each day under the guidance of a trainer. They are fed specific low-calorie menus. They are counseled on diet and exercise, etc. The problem is most gain all the weight back and more because they were not ready to embrace the new lifestyle.

     YOUR motivation and odds of success are much better if you have a plan to accomplish your objectives. Saying you are going to get swimsuit ready is nice but how do you do it? Are you committed to making this a permanent change? So often the fitness and supplement industry caters to the temporary fix instead of the lifestyle change. If the results you are looking for are products from a gym or nutrition store, your plan is probably temporary and will not last.

     SOME people tire of me preaching nutrition and exercise. That is because people don’t want to work for results. Long-lasting results require effort, discipline, and knowledge. Ask anyone who has pared a significant amount of weight and kept it off long term. Nine times out of ten they will tell you they did it through healthy eating and exercise.  Most of those folks tried and failed at fad diets and supplement consumption. That is until they decided it was time to stop wasting money, time and years of their life being overweight and unhealthy.

     HAVE a reasonable plan. For example, plan a month in advance. You will exercise most days of the week. Schedule this in your calendar. Scheduling fitness like an appointment makes you more likely to attend. When working out do you have a plan or do you mess around? Studies indicate that coached group classes have much better retention and success rate. If you really don’t work when you train, maybe some coached classes are what you need. Leave your ego at the door and prepare to work for your lasting results.

     NUTRITION is important. If you are exercising and not eating well you are essentially digging a hole with a teaspoon. You will increase your fitness level, but if your goal is to lose extra body fat exercise is required to increase muscle mass. Muscle will help you burn more calories at rest and give your body shape. You will feel better and ache less when you increase muscle mass.

     USE appropriate weight when training. Too often you see the person slugging through endless reps on a machine. If you are able to get past 15 reps, you should add some weight. Challenge yourself safely. Don’t add weight to the point your technique suffers. Utilize a qualified fitness instructor to critique your technique. If the person cannot explain the science or demonstrate the movements correctly search for someone who can. A certification, or degree, does not guarantee a good trainer. Years in the industry with those credentials should tell you that a person is doing something right.

Chris Davies, MS, owns Fitness Solutions at 1101 Walnut St. and can be reached at thfitnesssolutions.com or fitsolutions1@msn.com. He is a Master Trainer for Revo2lution Running.