First Steps to Fitness

“I'm ready to be fit.” “It's time to get back into shape.” Sound familiar? Perhaps you've never set foot in a gym before and you know you should be exercising…everyone says so. So what do you do? Where do you begin?

I'll give you my best recommendations for how to start and, more importantly, how to continue on a fitness program. I won't go into “why you should” because if you're reading this you already know why. If after reading this you want to know more about starting your own fitness program, I recommend you read “First Steps to Fitness: Secrets to Incorporating Fitness into Your Life,” at www.AlaskaFit.com.

What is the most common mistake that people make when beginning a fitness program? They jump into the three-day fitness implosion plan. It entails hitting the gym three days in a row as hard as you can, to the point of exhaustion. You end up so sore you can't move, you see no change in the scale after working so hard, so you decide to add dieting to this plan. In addition to being muscle sore, you now have no energy because you're eating just enough to avoid starving to death. It doesn't work. Your plan collapses all around you. You decide that health and fitness is for “other” people and not “regular” people like you. So, on the fourth day of your fitness plan, you recall the comfort of the couch, the taste of a real meal and somehow don't find the time to hit the gym. Your muscles recover, you no longer ache, your fitness plan has imploded and you're back to where you started.

Does this scenario sound familiar? We've all done it at some point. You might extend this scenario out to three weeks, perhaps even three months. Somewhere along the line you lose your enthusiasm, your drive and your optimism and revert to what you've always done. What can you do to make it different this time? How do you avoid the implosion?

Here are my best recommendations:

Start slow: Day 1 of your fitness program should inspire you to Day 2 of your fitness program. Go ahead and work up a sweat. Starting with 20-30 minutes of exercise on Day 1 will leave your feeling good and anticipating Day 2.Do something you enjoy!If you hate running don't do it! Your mind will perceive running as a punishment, not a fun activity that makes you feel good. This dooms you to failure before you begin. Take the time to figure out what gets your body moving and makes you feel good. Try a walk. Try a run. Rent a bicycle. Check out your local gym for classes or check with other fitness outlets…perhaps your church or your school offers a program. Set goals: Just make sure your goals are reasonable…dropping 10 pounds in two weeks before you go on vacation is not reasonable. One or two pounds per week are reasonable. Five pounds by the end of a month is reasonable. Reward yourself when you reach the goal: Buy new sneakers, go for a massage, take a long, hot bath. Make sure your reward inspires your success.Sneak activity into every day: Movement is your goal. Get up and get moving every day…take the stairs, use the phone book for biceps curls when you're on the phone. Fitness is not all or nothing. It's not two hours at the gym or all day on the couch. It's being active in some way every day.Build your commitment as you build your fitness. As you get stronger and have more endurance, up your goals, reach for something new. Get outside your comfort zone. It will keep you inspired and focused so you don't lose momentum. Vary your workouts: Now that you've gotten good at your chosen activity, what's next? Figure out a new challenge; change something to keep yourself interested.Make the long-term commitment then live it one day at a time. Keep in mind that fitness is not a short-term, few week thing. It truly is a lifestyle change and it takes place one day at a time, not overnight.

Keep in mind, you are the most important person in your life…not your significant other, not your kids, not your parents…you. Commit to taking care of yourself daily. If you don't, you will not have the time, energy or enthusiasm to take care of all of the other people who depend on you.

Don't think about tomorrow and how you'll find the time to workout for the rest of your life. Focus on today…just today. Pick your activity, do it for as long as you can, whether it's 2 minutes or 2 hours. Enjoy every minute of it. Breathe the fresh air, feel your muscles working, live it fully. It will inspire you to do it again tomorrow. And when you're doing good for you, it's easier to do good for others.

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Ginny Grupp holds a Master of Sciencein exercise science and health promotion. She is an ACE-certified personal trainer and NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist. She promotes healthy lifestyles through her personal training and fitness education company www.AlaskaFit.com.

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