subject: Improving Health And Fitness By Mazen Al-ghimadi [print this page] Most people identify improved health and fitness as a life goal. And yet, many of us don't make the changes necessary to achieve improved health and fitness. Let's take a look at a couple of the obstacles that get in the way of these goals - they may not be what you think they are!
A significant challenge to accomplishing health and fitness goals lies in compartmentalizing them from the rest of your life. It's much easier to be successful when you look at these goals as changes that will benefit your overall lifestyle, or can be integrated into it. For many of us, going to the gym and working up a sweat with a lot of strangers watching us doesn't sound like much fun. Gym memberships can cost money, and getting there can be hard to schedule, especially if you work full-time or have a busy family life. Subsisting on cabbage soup and diet shakes limits social and family activity in ways that are depressing and unsustainable long-term. Learning to integrate your goals into your daily routine can make a big difference. Some ways to do this include:
-- Get a treadmill. You can often find them used and very affordable on Craigslist or other community bulletin boards. Do you get bored walking indoors? Position your treadmill near a shelf where you can watch videos on your computer or portable DVD player. Change your morning routine to include half an hour on the treadmill before work. You'll feel better all day, and the boost to your brain will increase your productivity.
-- Lift weights during commercials or between shows. A small weight set is a great investment, and since working with weights tends to be short-burst high-intensity activity, it's a perfect activity to do during breaks from other recreation you enjoy.
-- If you're interested in changing how you eat, consider taking a healthy cooking class with a friend, or organizing a "healthy meal night" potluck to share recipes and techniques. Food is a big part of many people's social lives; weaving healthier habits into how you interact with friends can be wonderful for your relationships, and for your health.
-- Don't deprive yourself! Many diet goals hit a dead end because they work only as short-term or fad commitments; the goal is too compartmentalized from real life. If there is a food or recipe that you absolutely love, learn to work with it. Create a healthier version of it with different ingredients, or learn to make very small portions so that you can enjoy without overindulging.
Health and fitness goals should be about making healthy changes in your life, rather than changing who you are and what you like. There's almost always a way to keep your favorite things in your life; it's all about creative compromise.
Another major stumbling-block to achieving health and fitness goals lies in unrealistic expectations and incorrect focus. Everyone who is overweight should make weight loss their first priority, right? Wrong! Let's take a look at how changing focus can have a positive impact on your ability to commit to better habits.
Positive change should be challenging, but not painful. If you're just starting an exercise program, don't compare yourself to your friend who successfully ran a marathon last month. It's inspiring to have someone in your life who is at a different level, but it's important to set goals that reflect where you are. Set a small achievable goal that stretches you, and when that level feels like a plateau, push harder. Integrating change slowly makes it much more likely that you will stick with it.
Quality of life should be your focus, rather than weight loss. There are many reasons why people have trouble losing weight, and if you make weight loss your goal, you are much more likely to become frustrated, and to give up because you don't see results. One way to circumvent the weight-loss trap is to keep a journal of how you feel during the day. Rate your mood and energy level morning, noon, and night on a scale of 1-10. As you incorporate healthier nutrition and fitness habits into your life, you'll see how those numbers change. You may remember a time when you lost a lot of weight on a fad diet - but did you keep it off? And how did you feel? If you're like most people, the weight came back when you stopped the diet, and you felt tired and cranky while you were on the diet. That's not surprising; you were depriving your body, rather than making healthier choices. While it's likely that positive changes in nutrition and fitness will result in weight loss, it may be slow and steady. Look at weight loss as an additional benefit of change, not as your only goal. When you focus on quality of life, the rewards of change are much more obvious, and you are more likely to continue those good habits.
Healthy nutrition and exercise don't have to be overwhelming goals that require you to be someone you're not. Learning how your health needs can fit into your life means that you can commit to a lifetime of good habits. Look at how much small goals impact your energy level, your cognitive clarity, and how you feel about yourself. Break your large health goals into smaller pieces whose effects you can identify. Savoring those rewards of positive change will inspire you to continue to the next level. Your health and fitness goals can fit into your life in ways that are fun, comfortable, and sustainable. Be yourself, get creative, and enjoy life!
