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HAPPY NEW YEAR!.. What's
your resolution? |
Research indicates that approximately one-half of Americans are
overweight. The combination of obesity and harsh, fad diets
jeopardizes the health and well being of our population. 30% of the
American population do not engage in any leisure time activity and
only 25% are engaged in the recommended levels of physical activity
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001). Drop-out rates
for those beginning an exercise program are alarming. A number of
studies reach 50% or more by the end of the first six months.
Fitness
is a lifestyle, not something that you do for a few weeks before
summer. When you change your lifestyle to include fitness, you can
change the way you live your life. Exercise allows one to live a
healthier, happier, and longer life.
We are
in an age where there are an endless amount of infomercials in the
media, promising new found methods to lose weight and feel
great. Millions of people are misled each year, spending plenty of
money on false promises and ridiculous fitness gadgets. A new
"magic pill" is developed every day promising to shed pounds from
your waistline. There is no magic pill that will transform you into
a well-conditioned athlete. These fad workouts and diet supplements
all target the greatest weakness of the human race, laziness.
Everyone wants to get in shape without sweat or sacrifice. Society
has reached an all time low. The mentality of our world is to
choose the path of least resistance. Human beings dislike hard
work. The world of fitness does not involve miracles. To achieve
peak fitness, you will need dedication, intensity, and consistency
(3 attributes not sold at the supplement store).
We all
have a right and responsibility to learn and practice the scientific
principles that pertain to physical fitness. There is no
reason to accept
anything but your personal best. Why settle for looking good
when you can look great?
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How To Start TODAY!.. Goals
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So considering that you have decided to
incorporate fitness into your lifestyle, you may now be wondering how
to start. Before you do start, you should decide why you are
doing it and what you would like to accomplish. This is an
important step in setting goals.
Effective goals must be SMART.
That is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific - must tell what is to be accomplished.
Measurable - must be measurable so that there is no question of
attainment (ie. body fat %, # pound lost)
Attainable - not too difficult or too easy. Easy goals do
not motivate and overly difficult ones may frustrate.
Relevant - pertinent to the particular interest, needs and
abilities.
Time-bound - specific deadlines for completion.
It is also good to
start with a primary, long term goal and then create "milestones" of
achievement as well as weekly and sometimes daily goals that all
contribute to the bigger goals above them. If your primary goal
is to lose weight and tone up, you may set a milestone of 10 pounds
lost and reward yourself when that milestone is reached (ie. new
shoes, night out, etc...) Weekly goals might be something like 4
workout days this week, no chocolate, or other duration tasks that
will help you with your focus. Daily goals, help you to reach
your weekly goals and therefore can be very similar at times.
More specific fitness goals can be detailed and achieved daily.
30 minutes on the elliptical machine, increasing my bench press weight
by 10 lbs, drinking 8 glasses of water are good examples of daily
goals that can contribute to the success of your weekly and long term
goals.
The bottom line in goal setting is to have
a game plan and to break up that game plan into a series of plays.
Of course, you will get the best results by doing your very best on
every play, but it is important to focus your determination on the
present task and not fall into the "tomorrow trap".
It is also important to understand that
you are choosing to make a "lifestyle" change. If your goal was
to lose 20 pounds and you reach that goal, CONGRATULATIONS!... but it
shouldn't end there! Reevaluate what you want to attain and set
new goals. Fitness is a journey, not a destination. If you
choose to make this lifestyle change, you can improve your health,
happiness, and quality of life, but you must sustain the discipline
and use the knowledge that was responsible for your success!
Set achievable fitness goals... analyze your
priorities... decide how important your goals are... determine what you are
willing to do to achieve success... find a way to make it happen!
Don't put it off... Start TODAY!
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes
off your goal" - Henry Ford |
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What's Your Excuse? |
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If you
do not have time to exercise, you had better make time for
discomfort, fatigue, aches and pains... basically a miserable,
unsatisfied lifestyle. It is amazing how much more time people
have than they realize. By taking as little as 30 minutes, 4-5
days per week, you can improve the quality of your life. If it
is important to you, you can find a way to train!
2)
Too tired to exercise after work or school.
If you
start exercising, you will typically find that you would not be so
tired. As fitness improves, energy levels will increase.
Most people never realize that their fatigue originates from
inactivity.
3)
Too old to exercise.
Just
another excuse. 80 year old men and women have "begun"
exercise programs and drastically improved their quality of life.
Exercise affects the body, mind, and soul.
4)
Gym memberships are too expensive.
Your
body is the perfect piece of equipment. All you need is your
arms, legs, shoulders, back, chest and stomach. There are
plenty of exercises that can be done with merely your body weight,
or minimal exercise equipment. Your main requirement is the
desire to improve yourself and make a difference.
5)
Not looking to compete as an athlete.
Makes
no difference if you are an athlete or not. Exercise is not
just limited to athletes. As a human being you are entitled to
enjoy the amazing potential contained within your body.
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Exercise Spotlight |
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Cross-Leg Crunch
 
Target:
Obliques &
Midsection (obliques & rectus abdominus)
Count: 2 count
Description:
Starting position lying flat on your back. Cross one ankle over
the other knee. With your hand behind your head and your bottom
foot off the ground, crunch up to your far knee with your opposite
elbow and return to starting position. Do a full set in this
direction before switching to the other side.
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Thanx for Reading! |
| Well... that's the first issue of "The
Day After Yesterday" eNewsletter. I hope you found it
motivational, informative, or at least worth reading. My
intention is to distribute this on a monthly basis to raise health and
fitness awareness and keep in touch with the fitness community.
If you would like to add someone to
this distribution list, please send an email to
news@todayfitness.net and
include their name and email address. Likewise, if you would
like to be removed from this distribution list, please state this in
an email to the same address.
Thank you for taking your time to read
this inaugural issue... of course, that time would have been better
spent working out, but I'll let you slide... this time!
Good Luck!
Pete Mazzeo
pmazzeo@todayfitness.net
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