There have been many studies carried out which state that at least half the people who begin an exercise programme give up within the first 3 months. This figure increases dramatically when taken over a 12 month period. Even though most people know that exercise is very good for them many people don’t even start any kind of exercise programme at all. Some of these people will never have done any form of exercise at all during their lives.
Let’s look at some of the points that will help you maintain a fitness programme
What will help me stick with an exercise plan?
Most reasons are probably much more psychological than sociological.
1. You must be fully aware and believe that exercise is good for your health
2. You must be fully aware of your own athletic capabilities.
3. You must be fully aware that you are responsible for your own life and what occurs in it.
4. You must be fully committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
5. You must view exercise as a means of relaxation
Note that all of the five points above begin with the same word ‘YOU’. This is very important to remember because whatever you read or whatever anyone tells you, ultimately the doing part is your responsibility. By confirming to the points above you will know that you should begin a fitness programme. The following suggestions should be considered if you want to remain committed to a training plan and more importantly…enjoy it.
Ideas to help you stick with your plan
Set yourself both short and long term targets
Setting both short and long term goals will keep you motivated throughout and always give
you something else to aim at.
Write down your expectations and goals – use a chart or diary for this.
Your plan doesn’t have to be complicated –just realistic.
Make a note of what you want to achieve and how you want to do it.
Most importantly make your goals attainable – if it is not you will soon lose your
motivation.Start off with easy goals, so that you know that you will achieve them. There
would be nothing worse than setting your initial targets too high only to fail at the first one
Make a list of the benefits
Think about the positives of maintaining your exercise plan.
Make a list of your expectations if you stay committed to your programme.
If at any time you feel negative about your plan think of the positive points and how you will
feel if you achieve your goals
Think about the negatives but not for long
Think about the negative results if you don’t stick with your fitness plan.
Write down the consequences and feelings of not maintaining your plan
Make a list of all things you will miss out on if you don’t maintain your fitness plan
Change your lifestyle
Think about and remove all of the bad habits that you have acquired during your life.
Make your fitness important in your life especially ensure that it is more important than
your bad habits.
Improving and maintaining your good habits will simply become part of your lifestyle.
Don’t make any excuses to prevent you from maintaining your plan. Especially at the
beginning of the schedule. You will find it much easier to maintain the fitness plan once you
get into it and begin to feel more comfortable with it.
Ask your family and friends for support
It can be very difficult to find and maintain the commitment to exercise without the support
of your family and friends.
Discuss your goals and plans with them and ask for there help.
It is far easier to exercise with someone else than it is alone.
You will notice that the word ‘you’ is emboldened throughout these suggestions. This is because if you begin and maintain your exercise programme it is because you will have done it. If you fail to maintain your plan then it will be because you failed. It is as simple as that. You might come up with all kinds of excuses to yourself not to continue but you will know that the one and only reason for failure is because you didn’t do what you were supposed to do.
