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SIGNPOSTS
Brain train
by Patricia Bowmer
Hands up all those who’ve failed to
follow through on their new year’s
resolution to get fit.
Peter’s determination fell by the
wayside within two weeks, after
he overdid things and injured
his shoulder. He’s still paying his
monthly gym fee, though, sure that
the money will motivate him to go
back … eventually. But there’s a
better way for Peter to improve his
chance of keeping to his resolution.
Stage one: Get ready
- Be specific: Peter said he was
going to get “super-fit”. This can
mean cardiovascular endurance
(running up the Peak), strength
(lifting weights), flexibility
(stretching), and/or maintaining
optimal body weight. Be clear
what you’re aiming for, so you can
define what you need to do to get
you there.
- Get smart: Peter thought it was
cool to bounce the barbell off his
chest during the bench press – but
this put his shoulders at serious
risk of injury. Choose safe and
effective exercises by getting advice
from reputable sources: qualified
personal trainers; group exercise
instructors; fitness association
websites (try www.acefitness.org).
- Know why you quit before: How
has the situation changed? Plan
for foreseeable problems, and what
you’ll do when they happen.
- Build habits: Set specific times
aside for exercise, and stick to
them. Habits are hard to break.
- Do something fun: If exercise
isn’t fun, you’ll find something
that is. It doesn’t have to happen
in a gym – being active throughout
the day (by taking the stairs or
walking to work) can help meet
general health goals. Goals for
higher levels of cardiovascular
fitness can be met by walking,
hiking, or swimming.
- Exercise with a friend or partner:
Meet a friend to exercise, hire a
personal trainer, or do a group
exercise class. You’re less likely to
quit if your partner supports your
decision to exercise.
Stage two: Get going
- Start slow: Going hardcore when
you’re unfit doesn’t give you
a hard body. It gives you big physiotherapy bills, and a great
excuse to quit. Two or three times
a week is a good start. You can aim
to progress to a maximum of five
days, depending on your personal
goals. Build in rest days to give
your body time to adjust.
- Exercise for the right reasons:
Exercise will make you feel better,
live longer, and give you a glowing
complexion. A great body is an
added extra.
- Get real: There’s no 30-second
six-packs. Don’t buy into ads for
equipment that promise a great
body for little or no effort. Exercise
needn’t be extremely hard or
painful, but getting fit does take
effort. It also takes time.
Stage three: Keep moving
- Give yourself gold stars: Gold
stars motivate children – grownups,
too. We just call it feedback.
Hang up a large calendar. Each day
you exercise, stick on a big gold
star for a visual reminder of what
you’ve achieved.
- See the trees – before the forest:
You know exercise is good for you,
but if you hate it in the short term,
you’ll stop. Focus on immediate
benefits – stress management,
sleeping better, feeling a sense of
accomplishment.
- Don’t quit: One missed session,
an injury, or a week off? That
doesn’t mean you’ve quit. You quit
when you make the conscious
decision not to go back. Instead,
see missed sessions as a lapse, and
get moving again.
- Be where you are. When you’re
on the sofa, enjoy it. The best way
to stay healthy is to enjoy all things
in moderation, including exercise.
Patricia Bowmer is a member of the
Hong Kong International Coaching
Community (info@coachinghk.org)
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