If you’ve made a new year’s resolution
to get fit this year, you’ve probably managed to stick to it so far (you have,
haven’t you?). But fast-forward a month and there’s a one in four chance you’ll
have given up, according to research on resolutions from the University of
Scranton in Pennsylvania. Within six months, the study found, 54 to 60 per cent
of people had missed their targets.
“We set out with the best of
intentions,” says Midgie Thompson, mental performance coach at Bright Futures
Coaching. “But a lack of planning and a failure to set clear, achievable goals
often sideline us before we’ve had the benefit of seeing or feeling results,
which can be highly dispiriting.”
Read on to find out how to give your
New Year fitness regime staying power.
Set a goal
Everyone knows that outlining your
goals is the first step to achieving them, but there’s an art to effective
goal-setting. “Ensure you know exactly what you want,” says Julie Clements, a
personal development coach from Ultimate Boot Camp. “Get really specific
about the outcome. For example, if you want to lose weight, how much do you
want to lose and by when? What size do you want to be? How do you want to
feel?”
According to Midgie Thompson at Bright Futures Coaching, we are often motivated by a desire to move away from unpleasant things, rather than towards pleasant ones. “At this time of year, when we’ve let ourselves go, there’s a strong urge to take action. But as that discomfort grows more distant, motivation wanes and the likelihood of dropping out gets higher. That’s why it’s best to frame your goals positively, to work towards something positive rather than away from something negative.”
A clear goal – such as losing half a
stone or running a marathon – is helpful, but Clements believes it is essential
to know why you want to achieve it. “Ask yourself what’s important to you about
losing weight or getting fit. What difference will it make to your life?
Visualise how your life will be when you achieve your desired goal. This
creates a positive energy to take you through the day and helps keep you on
track.”
Be realistic
While aiming high may sound admirable,
it isn’t the best way to set a fitness goal. “If you set your goal too high –
say, going to the gym six days a week – you reduce your chances of success and
end up feeling disappointed,” says Thompson. “Even if you go three times a
week, you may feel guilty and bad about yourself, which means you start the
next week feeling negative. It’s a downward spiral.” Better, says Thompson, to
set smaller, more realistic goals that you can actually achieve – such as
exercising three times a week. “When you meet your target, you’ll feel positive
and motivated to continue,” she explains. “And if you do more, it’s a bonus.”
Being realistic also means not
expecting too much. It takes time for fitness to decline and excess pounds to
pile on – but human nature leads us to expect the situation to be reversed the
minute we lace up our trainers. “It’s important to manage your expectations,”
says Thompson. “If you expect instant results, you’ll quickly become
disillusioned.”
Trying to do too much, too soon also
puts you at risk of injury or burnout. “You should increase your overall
training volume by no more than 10 per cent per week,” says Kathryn Freeland,
director of personal training company Absolute
Fitness. “This gradual progression gives your body the necessary time to
adapt.” How you define “results” is also important. “It’s likely that you’ll
feel better before you can measure tangible progress,” says Freeland.
Pick things you like
Getting fit doesn’t have to entail
joining a gym. I’m now entering my third year of gym-free exercise, and am
fitter than ever. “Many people don’t give much thought to what fitness activity
they choose, and then get bored or find reasons not to go,” says Freeland. “Try
a variety of things to find out what you like – and even once you’ve found
something you enjoy, you don’t have to stick with it forever. Routine is key,
but the important aspect of routine is committing to doing something regularly
– not what activity you do. It could be tango one week, boxercise the next.”
Bootcamps – from the hardcore army workout to the luxury escape – will be
chasing new customers in 2010 with specialist retreats such as The Camp’s Advanced Fitness Course and Ultimate
Boot Camp’s Men Only weekend. Or if you’ve ever fantasised about joining the
circus, try Reebok’s new “Fit to Fly”
Jukari workout based around an aerial loop suspended from the gym ceiling
(currently only available at London’s Reebok Sports Club, but rolling out to
more gyms in 2010). New technology has spawned a variety of virtual exercise
options, including the new Xdream, a high-tech indoor bike that simulates
mountain biking on rough terrain (£5,995 to buy at trixter.net or test ride it
at selected Virgin Active and David Lloyd health clubs).
Plan your attack
In the University of Scranton study,
the key difference between those who kept to their resolutions and those who
did not was planning and preparation. “People who push themselves prematurely
into a resolution without having a specific action plan are quite likely to fail,”
says Dr John Norcross, a clinical psychologist at the university. “So pick a
day when you’re ready – it doesn’t have to be the start of the new calendar.”
Thompson gets her clients to schedule
workouts into their diaries, much as they would any other appointment. “Simply
hoping to fit it in just doesn’t work. If someone says to me, ‘I’m going to
start going to the gym,’ I say, ‘Great – when are you going to go?’”
Being well-organised and prepared also
raises the chances of making exercise happen. “Buy a couple of pairs of
trainers, so you can keep one at the office or in the car, and have your kitbag
packed and ready by the front door,” says Freeland.
Get some support
Research shows that one of the most
effective ways of increasing your chances of sticking to regular exercise is to
find someone to do it with. A workout mate provides both support and
competition. In the absence of a willing gym buddy, though, you can still
benefit from other people’s support and encouragement. “Tell your family and
friends what you’re doing and explain how they can best help you,” says
Clements. “Sharing your goals can really help when you’re experiencing the
challenges of sticking to your exercise regime.”
A personal trainer is another good
option. “Even a few sessions just to get you started can be useful,” says
Freeland. “It doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment.”
Take stock
While it’s good to have a goal to work
towards, don’t forget to look back too. “Sometimes, we’re so focused on moving
forward we don’t stop to acknowledge what we’ve achieved so far,” says
Thompson. She recommends reviewing your progress weekly and tweaking your
exercise programme if necessary. “Decide how you’re going to measure your
progress,” adds Freeland. “Will it be in terms of pounds or inches lost, miles
completed, time taken to cover a certain distance, or simply having more
energy? That way, you can check whether you’re achieving the results you want.”
Lapse, don’t relapse
Everyone has bad days. It’s important
to accept that a slip-up doesn’t need to be a permanent relapse. In fact, in
the Scranton study, most successful “resolvers” reported lapses in January but
simply got back on track again. Almost three-quarters (71 per cent) reported
that slipping up motivated them to redouble their efforts. Freeland believes
you can learn from your lapses. “Get familiar with your excuses and then you
can work out how to counter them,” she says. “For example, if you didn’t go
running because it was raining, invest in a good waterproof jacket. If you didn’t
bother with the gym because you were too hungry, make sure you have a
mid-afternoon snack next time.” Above all, don’t give up. “Just because you
failed before, it doesn’t mean you’re going to fail this time.”
http://www.ft.com
No comments:
Post a Comment