Baby Steps and Bite-Size Pieces to Fitness

Working out is not easy.  There, I said it!  It is something that normally does not come naturally to most.  It has to become a habit for most to fall in love with it.  The thing is, if you don't get your body moving you will become Fat, Sick, and Die Young.  So, how do you make working out a habit?  The first thing you have to do is stop blaming others and allowing things to distract you.  Saying you don't have time, you are tired, you work full time, your kids are in the room when you do it, you need a partner to work out with, you have to have the right music, your not a morning person, your not a night person...blah,blah,blah,blah!!!!  I am not trying to be mean, but really, STOP THE NEGATIVE TALK.  To be successful you HAVE to put in the work.  Imagine if you used these excuses at your place of work.  You would be FIRED!!!! 

So here is how you begin to create Fitness Goals for yourself that you will achieve!!!!!

1.  Start with small goals.  Focus on reasonable expectations you are confident you can achieve in a time frame of 2-4 weeks.  Get out of the thinking...Hey, I always wanted to do a marathon...overwhelm yourself....then drop off the wagon.  It is so much easier to look at goals in a 2-4 week time frame. Break it down into goals you can handle in less than a month. 

You can even focus weekly.  Make a goal that you will walk/run/do a fitness program 3 times a week for 30-40 minutes.  Start small and then build.  You don't need to commit to 6 days a week if you haven't worked out in years.  Take the pressure off yourself.

These goals should be attainable, so that at the end of the week you have accomplished them and feel amazing!

2.  Measurable Goals - Don't just say you want to be healthier.  Create measures.  State how many healthy meals you are going to cook a week, how many days you will exercise, the number of pounds you want to lose in 30 days, how many miles you will run this week, how many hours of sleep you are going to get daily...etc.  This makes your goals more solid and meaningful.

3.  Achievable Goals - According to Chalene Johnson, there is a difference between the achievable and possible.  A person that hates to run and has bad knees is not likely to maintain her goal to complete the Boston Marathon.  Choose workouts you will like.  Getting fit should be fun and build your self-confidence....not piss you off while you are doing it. 

4.  Rewarding - Yes, fitness is sacrifice, but you have to remember that the rewards are so much bigger.  List all the rewards you will receive when you hit your goal weight?  Here are some examples: You will fit into that dress you have been wanting, your clothes will lay on your body much nicer, your doctor will tell you that you can get off your diabetic or cholesterol medications, you can breath better, you get compliments, you will meet new people, you will be more confident, you will get that job promotion, people will take you seriously......etc.  Whatever it may be, you will be rewarded!

5.  Time Sensitive - Each of your goals should have a time-sensitive deadline.  This helps you to become more focused.  When goals are written down and they have a deadline, we work so much harder toward them then if it is open-ended!

Here is your homework:  What is your Smart (Smallest, Measurable, Achievable, Rewarding, and Time Sensitive) health and fitness goal? 
Then create a list of all positive side effects of achieving this first goal.
Have fun with this.  I can't wait to read, hear, and most of all SEE your results.  Yay!!!!

Your Coach,
Cheri

- information provided from Chalene Johnson, creator of PUSH.