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Diversity Training A motivational toolkit to keep you on the right fitness track It’s easy to start an exercise program, you’ve probably done it dozens of times. What’s more difficult is becoming consistent and sticking to it. You’re more likely to stick to an exercise program if you enjoy it, maybe after trying a workout or sport you have become bored with it. Many people don’t take into account their own personalities and pleasures when seeking an exercise routine. They pick the first program that comes to mind, or the program their buddy is doing, whether it suits them or not. To finish what you’ve started, you need to set realistic goals. Setting goals such as “I’ll lose 20 pounds by Labor Day” is unrealistic.“You can’t determine how fast you will lose weight, even in the world’s best program. Ten people can eat identical low-fat foods and do identical workouts, and they’ll lose weight at different rates,” says fitness expert Joan Price, author of “Joan Price Says, Yes You Can Get in Shape” (Pacifica Press, 1996). Instead, choose goals you can attain, such as “I’ll walk three days a week, and eat two more servings of fruits and vegetables this week.” If you have trouble sticking to a program, one of the best ways to meet your goals is to track your progress. Record the number of repetitions and amount of weight you lift, the number of miles you walk, the number of laps you swim or the average speed you bicycle. Just marking your exercise sessions on a calendar will often keep you on track, Price says. Once you’ve reached your weekly goals, give yourself credit. “Drop a quarter or a dollar into a jar each time you exercise. Double it if you didn’t feel like exercising but did it anyway,” Price says. “Then when your loot fills the jar, reward yourself with something that will make exercising easier or more fun: new athletic shoes, motivating music, or tennis lessons.” Other motivational tips from Price include: Be accountable to someone else. Make appointments to work out with a trainer, instructor or exercise buddy. Join a group or club. Join a spinning class for social stimulation and to improve your bicycling technique, find a hiking club, or organize a foursome for a regular tennis game. Use motivational tapes or books. Any self-affirming, motivating tape or book can be the cheerleader you need, as long as it addresses your goals and personality. Schedule frequent workouts. Exercise consistently and you’ll make measurable progress quickly and your success will motivate you to continue. Don’t expect magic. The quick-and-easy route may set you up for failure. Make your goals and timetable reasonable. Don’t punish yourself for lapses. So you temporarily blew it; you missed a workout and went on an ice cream binge. Don’t feel guilty, just get back on track. That was yesterday; this is today. Vary your workouts. If you are getting bored with your usual activity, try something entirely different to challenge your body and your mind. Your training: mix it up You’ve probably heard of cross-training in which athletes use a secondary sport (running) to make them better at their primary sport (swimming). A more accurate term for a woman who swims at the gym, hikes on weekends, and weight trains is variety training, says Lisa Callahan, M.D., medical director and co-founder, Women’s Sports Medicine Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, in New York City. “By alternating activities, muscles are challenged in different ways. This limits the risk of injuries from repetitive use and maximizes the muscle response to training,” says Callahan, author of “The Fitness Factor” (The Lyons Press, 2004). “It can also be one of the most effective ways to prevent exercise from becoming boring.” So if you started your exercise program with walking or jogging, she suggests considering adding swimming for its upper body and joint-friendly nonimpact benefits. If you started with running, consider bicycling for its nonimpact benefits. Note that running emphasizes the hamstring (back of the thigh) whereas bicycling emphasizes the quadriceps (front of the thigh). If you started with swimming, consider walking, aerobic dance, kickboxing or jogging because these weight-bearing activities will boost your bone mass. If you started with fitness videotapes, consider in-line skating or walking because both can be done without a gym and will get you outside. Both also are weight-bearing and therefore good for your bones. Train for an Event If attaining the goals you’ve already established isn’t enough to get you to stick to your exercise program, consider training for a specific event. The event you choose could be anything from a family bicycling vacation to a triathlon, Callahan says. There are thousands of organizations to choose from, including fun runs, 5K (3.1 miles) or 10K (6.2 miles) walks and runs, bike rides or walks for charities, biathlons (two events together, usually running and bicycling), or triathlons (swimming, bicycling, and running). Check your local newspapers, nonprofit organizations, chamber of commerce, Web sites or fitness magazines for notices of upcoming events in your area. Many women find training for such an event makes it easier to stay committed to an exercise program, Callahan says. You may find that daily tasks don’t distract you the same way they did when your exercise was less focused. Maybe without even realizing it, your commitment to exercise may become a lifelong habit. |
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