Wellness Wednesday
July 17, 2013
Have you ever
committed to your health and fitness goals only to give up within a month? Or
did you even get started? Don’t wait for another minute. Kristine Rustand is a
Certified Trainer and Nutrition Specialist suggest following these simple 10
steps to get you going in the right direction:
1. Take a Before
Photo. This is essential to achieving your goals. You likely have a mental
image of yourself that isn't reality. You need a starting point and a before
photo gives you a crystal clear picture of where you're at.
2. Clearly define
your goals. Focus on what you want to create and on what you're willing to do
to achieve that result. For example you may be someone who wants to lose 25 lbs
this year. Creating that as a goal is a good starting point. Beyond that it's
necessary to outline what changes you're prepared to make to lose those 25 lbs.
How many times will you exercise? Within that exercise, how many strength training
days will you do and how many cardio days? What will you eat to promote weight
loss? How much water will you drink? Keep these goals somewhere visible such as
on the mirror in your bathroom.
3. Set Yourself Up
for Success by stocking your house with healthy food. Most of us do not have
time to prepare every meal and snack and need some 'on the go' options. Be sure
to cut up all your produce before it goes in the fridge so that fresh
vegetables are as easy to grab in place of a granola bar. Have pre-cooked lean
meats available. This allows chicken and veggies to be a quick lunch option.
4. Hire a trainer,
or join group fitness classes. We all need support to keep us accountable.
Working with a trainer or in a class will do exactly that and increase the
intensity of your workouts. Group fitness is a lot more affordable than having
a trainer if finances are tighter. Another option if needed is to have a
workout buddy. You must be an honest buddy who is committed to your partner's
success. No excuses, and do not let each other off easy.
5. Join a Nutrition
or Weight Loss Support Group. Get accountable with your nutrition. According to
Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet nutrition is responsible for 80% of the weight loss
formula. Exercise is still imperative as it allows us to achieve sleek and
defined muscle tone. If we focused only on our nutrition then we simply become
a slimmer version of our previous heavier selves.
6. Practice
Self-Affirmations and Visualization. Professional athletes harness the power of
visualization all the time. Visualize yourself enjoying your new healthy and
fit lifestyle and it will happen. It will take practice and you will get there
when you're committed.
7. Adjust your
Attitude. If you're someone who isn't excited about nutritious foods and
exercise adjust your attitude from "I Have To" to "I Get
To". Nutrition and exercise are both privileges. If you're not so sure,
consider those in 3rd world countries who only have a small handful of gummy
rice to eat every day. What if you were contained to a wheel chair? How bad
would you want the ability to walk and run?
8. Be patient with
the process. It takes work, and likely a lot of it. It also takes time, and
likely a lot of that too. We live in a culture that wants everything right now and
when we don't get it we give up. You want to achieve your weight loss goals
now, yet it's going to take 30-60 days to see visible results. Results will
come with perseverance and are persistence.
9. Focus on
persistence, not perfection. Persistence means 90% of the time you are right on
while the other 10% of the time you allow yourself a small cheat. To earn that
10% it means being bang on the other 90% of the time.
10. Remember that
what we measure gets improved. Set a date for achievement and take before, mid
way and after measurements. We've seen many people lose more than 20 inches
within 12 weeks and you can too.
Please let me know
how you are doing and what goals you’re trying to achieve.
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