It’s New Years Eve today and as a fitness coach I am obligated to bring up those dreaded New Years Resolutions. Perhaps the resolutions themselves aren’t dreaded so much as acting on them. At FitDaily we specialize in fitness motivation just as much as we do modern exercise science.I want to stress that you don’t need a “New Years Resolution” to get in shape. The beginning of a new year is really no better time to get in shape than any other time of the year. But if you want to make a resolution, now is a great time. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
First, be realistic. If you make a resolution to lose 30 pounds in 3 months, you’re going to fail, become frustrated by your failure, and then give up on “dieting” in favor of a big box of cookies. Set reasonable goals. Remember that building muscle tends to offset some fat loss, so body fat is a better measure than weight. If you want to use weight, you should plan to lose one half to one pound per week.
So in three months a reasonable expectation is to lose 6-12 pounds. The most you can lose safely is 2 pounds per week, so 24 pounds would be the max. But that’s not realistic for most people. If you lose weight too fast your body will react and start piling it back on again.
The next thing is that your goal be very specific as far desired outcome and target date. Don’t set a “deadline” because missing it will be de-motivating. Instead, set a target date to strive for and track your progress along the way. If you need to modify it throughout your journey you can. It can be helpful to pick a target date that coincides with something, such as a wedding you’re attending, a vacation, or other event that might motivate you to be healthier.
Find a method for achieving your goals, but don’t write the method in as part of your resolution. For example, a good outcome might be to reduce bodyfat by 4% before a trip to Hawaii in June. But to say that you will do it by “Joining the XYZ Gym and running on the treadmill” is too specific. You may decide you hate the XYZ Gym because it smells bad, or you might start to develop knee pain from the treadmill. If it’s written as part of your resolution, you sense failure as soon as this obstacle comes up.
You need to leave enough room to adapt the means of your resolution. If you focus only on the outcome, you can overcome this roadblock and find a new method to achieve your goal in such a situation. So make your outcome definitive, but leave the means open for change.
Certainly getting a coach to help you with all this will make a huge difference. Take a look at the FitDaily Coaching Assessment for more information on Coaching Options.
That’s it for now. Happy New Year! I wish you all a very healthy 2008.
