26 Dec Change Time – aka Resolution Season by Sandra Betz
It starts even before all the gifts are unwrapped. That niggling voice inside your head telling you it is almost time; time to put the cookie plate down and make some changes that this time, this year, will stick. Personally I love new beginnings, the chance to change things and start fresh. However, I am not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions. They are false promises usually made while riding a sugar high and signing yet another credit card receipt. Like the diet started every Monday and abandoned by Tuesday New Year’s resolutions almost always disappoint.
Why do New Year’s resolutions flame up and out so fast? I believe it is because they are based on the all or nothing principle. Every January 1st the gyms are bursting with sweaty annual exercises while the produce aisles and Slim Fast shelves are cleared out. The Resolutioners start out strong, working out every day and diligently munching on carrots between brown-rice filled meals until there comes the inevitable moment when they can’t handle another meal replacement shake or they pull a hamstring on the Elliptical. Then it is back to sweatpants as couch wear and poof the resolution flame is out for another year.
Flaming out on your resolutions is avoidable. First reframe the commitment. It isn’t a New Year’s resolution; it is a resolution to change, not just for the New Year but for good and it is FOR YOU. YOUR overall wellness is the goal, not for a number on a scale.
Here is my advice for easing into your fitness commitment so that this year you keep the flame burning all year long. Fitness shouldn’t just be first on the resolution list each January 1st - it should and can be a part of who you are every day.
- Don’t overwhelm yourself with 6 day a week gym schedule. Start with small manageable goals. The more you exercise the more you will want to amp up your workouts, but start with what you can easily fit into your current lifestyle.
- Don’t sign up for the cheapest gym in the area, look for the best fit. Yes, cost is an issue, but if you are serious about wanting to make a change take your time to pick your workout space wisely. Some people thrive at a big box gym, while others (me!) need the accountability and caring of a small studio like Pure Movement. Still others only feel comfortable sweating in the privacy of their living room. Where ever you pick, make sure it is somewhere you won’t dread going several times a week.
- Intimidated by trying a new workout? The beauty of our screen driven world is that you can find almost any workout on-line so you can get the inside track before you take the class. Interested in checking out BarSculpt? Click over to our YouTube Channel and then schedule your own class!
- Don't know what you are doing? Take advantage of all the fitness deals out there and find a deal on a one-on-one training session. Even if there is no deal advertised ask at a studio or gym if they are offering any deals on personal training packages.
- Buy a cute new workout outfit. Silly but it works. Feeling good while you are working out is very motivational. You may not be where you want yet, but you can look super-cute getting there
- Find a friend. I used to poo-poo this one and I still refuse to sign up for the Biggest Loser Challenge at my office (seriously, you are nosing around the wrong cubicle if you think I’m sharing with co-workers my weight and last night’s chocolate chip binge) – BUT I have experienced how having someone else push me to BarSculpt class works. Knowing I’m meeting someone at class, or getting an afternoon text reminding me we have a date at BarSculpt is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the doors. Once I’m in I never, ever regret it.
- Avoid comparing yourself to everyone else. This one takes practice, but trust me, comparing yourself to the people next to you is neither productive nor conducive to fulfilling your own fitness goals. Eyes on your own paper. They are not looking at you – 5 minutes into exercise and everyone is focused on their own body and doesn’t frankly care what is going on with you and your body.
- Workout when you can, not when all the magazines say you should workout. Don’t try to become a morning person overnight. I am a miserable human being at 5am and have been known to throw tantrums like a 3 year old denied her juice box when forced up at that hour. So I know that trying to exercise at that time just results in me giving up after about a week (or a day…). So I work out at night or during lunch. Whatever works for you is the best time of day for you to move.
- Give it time and be gentle with yourself. Only worked out twice this week? Do not beat yourself up – you worked out twice. Something is better than nothing and fitness is not an overnight achievement. Fitness is a journey with millions of tiny little steps and goals reached over a lifetime. You will see results if you keep at it, some big (real push-ups, yes I can!) and some small (is that a muscle I see in my calf?), you just need to keep going and don’t give up.
So this year I challenge you to forgo the popular resolution game and instead try out the quieter yet potentially more effective change game. Happy 2013 everyone!
Disclaimer: This blog is not designed as medical information. The information contained is purely based on our opinion and experience. The information provided is our opinion and we always suggest you consult with your own doctor before embarking on any fitness or food plan.
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