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More Training Info > Motivation
Millennium Motivation
Excerpts from an interview with a Body Results outdoor conditioning coach
What keeps you motivated?
Training for a specific goal. If I don't have some challenge planned, I revert back to maintenance mode, which
frankly doesn't seem to leave me feeling very satisfied or fulfilled for
long. I need to constantly strive for the next adventure, peak, hike, or
activity. Changing my focus also does wonders--in the past I've moved
from roller blading, to tennis, skiing, running, rowing, biking, hiking,
cross-country skiing, climbing, step aerobics, snowshoeing, powerlifting,
swimming, mountaineering -- Jack of all trades, master of cross-training of all sorts. For me, it keeps exercise more fun,
interesting, and varied. I also like the fact that by doing so many
things, I can relate to nearly all the activities my personal training
clients are involved in and know exactly what muscle groups they need to
develop for their favorites, and how to more effectively train them.
See Motivation Strategies for more tips.
What is the real scoop on diet and exercise?
This is THE million dollar question. The answer? MODERATION. Too many
people are looking for short cuts. As a society we're too busy to plan
balanced meals, too busy to schedule moderate exercise sessions, too
busy to educate ourselves about the options. What's frustrating is there
are SO many body types out there that NO single diet works for everyone.
To that end, it's really up to the individual to find out what works
best--perhaps enlisting the help of a nutritionist or registered
dietician could be helpful. The skinny of it is:
- NO food is a BAD food unless you eat too much of it. You are not BAD for eating certain foods; instead,
try to remind yourself that you simply made a BAD CHOICE and get
right back to your healthy eating program.
- Choose from a wide variety of foods so you have a better chance of getting all the vitamins and
nutrients you need naturally.
- Try to combine complex carbohydrates with a little protein and fat at each feeding.
- Shoot for 4-5 moderate-sized meals every 3 hours or so, rather than 2 or 3 huge meals which leave you
hungry between meals and more likely to stuff yourself when you do get a chance to eat.
- Give yourself a day each week when the program. This way you know you never have to say "NEVER
AGAIN" and will be much more likely to stick with a program for your entire life
- Try to get in some quality exercise 30-45 minutes a day, whether that's a jog, some bouldering, a spin
class, balance training, or day of skiing. MOVE IT OR LOSE IT.
Any advice for those just starting back into an outdoor conditioning program?
- Choose something compatible with your lifestyle. If you are extremely busy and join a climbing gym on the
opposite side of town, you may be setting yourself up for failure. If your local gym only has spinning classes during times when you
have to be in meetings, you will have a hard time succeeding. Think about the time you can realistically commit to exercise and
make sure your support network of family and friends knows about your plan--you're more likely to stick with it.
- Make sure you have the appropriate footwear (the last thing you want to do is start training for your
half-marathon with shoes that haven't been worn in three years).
- Ease into your exercise--injury and muscle soreness are unpleasant consequences of pushing your body too
hard too fast, and will not only dampen your enthusiasm for your
chosen activity, but also postpone your commitment to get back on
your program. Remember that tendons and ligaments take longer to get
used to given demands on the body; ease into a running program; give
yourself plenty of rest if you've recently returned to the climbing gym.
- Cross train so you work your entire body and stay in balance. Enlist the help of someone who is
knowledgeable and can help assess your current fitness levels and
suggest exercises and activities that will work best for your
lifestyle, preferences, needs, activities and fitness goals.
Now that we're closing in on yet another new year, do you have suggestions for us on how to set realistic goals for ourselves?
- Think SMART. Make your goals SPECIFIC. For example, instead of
dreaming of "getting fit", you'll have a much greater chance of attaining a goal such as "toning my triceps and
biceps so that I can have nice firm arms by July 4th family reunion."
- Make your goals MEASURABLE. It's easier to know when you've reached the goal of "lose 5 pounds of body
fat and gain 2 pounds of muscle mass" than it is to know when you "get stronger."
- Make your goals ACTION-ORIENTED and ATTAINABLE. "To be more fit" is weak. "To do cardiovascular
exercise of my choice for 3 times each week, 30 minutes a pop, and
strength train twice a week for 20 minutes a session" will get you MOVING.
- Make your goals REALISTIC. "Lose 30 pounds in a month" is not only unrealistic, it's unsafe and
unhealthy. Remember that a safe rate of weight loss is MAXIMUM a pound a week, or else you are eating up lean muscle mass and
slowing down your metabolism, initiating yo-yo dieting that you want desperately to avoid. "Lose 4 pounds this month and 3
next month" is much more practical, realistic, and palatable!
- Make your goals TIME-STAMPED. "Start an exercise program" won't do as much for you as "Complete 5
workouts by Friday of next week."
- Visit our Motivational Gems for inspiration for the day.
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