The Health and Fitness Truth Blog

I was thinking the other day about why and how exercise adherence- the motivation to keep going- is so challenging for so many. Why do we get started but then back off? Why is it so hard to begin an exercise program, and so easy to stop? Of course our lives get in the way, we lose focus, don’t see results, or maybe just can’t handle the stress of keeping up with it. No matter which of these reasons affect your ability to maintain an exercise regimen, I realized that sticking with the program is alot like swinging on a swingset.

• When you first sit on a swing and begin the process of getting the swing moving, it takes ALOT of hard work. You must pump your legs and pull with your arms very hard to get the swing going. But, you know the effort will be worth it once the swing finds momentum.
• Once the swing finds momentum, just like your exercise program and the results you want to achieve, less work is needed to maintain the swing’s movement. Now it’s fun- a little pumping, a little pulling- but mostly the swing just keeps going higher and higher.
• THEN!! At some point, you get really high- and maybe you get scared of the results or the commitment to the results. OR, you take the swing’s momentum for granted- you lose focus, you stop putting in even the most minimal effort. Now, the swing slows down, as, without your effort, even momentum cannot keep the swing going. Soon, you are near a standstill, almost back where you started. Is the ride over?
• NO!! … If you can just keep even the smallest motion still going, you don’t have to start again from full stop. Swing your legs, pull with your arms- momentum is just a minor effort away! Now you’ve got it- and next ride, you’ll remember not to lose focus, to keep putting effort in even if it feels like things are getting easy. And, if you get too high, you can always slow down- but never stop completely. It’s just too hard to get going again.

Happy Holidays! If you are like me, you are feeling a little overfull and under-exercised. Naturally, this period of heavy eating and celebrating sets us up for thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions, many of which will center around exercising and losing weight. Unfortunately, statistics show that by April, most of us will have discarded our resolutions and sunk back into old unhealthy habits.

Through years of working in fitness, a big lesson I have learned is to make your fitness resolutions simple and doable. Many people make the mistake of trying to resolve to do too much too soon and hence burnout quickly. Instead of a resolution such as I am going to eat right, give up sweets, exercise every day and lose weight, try shooting for just one of those promises, and START SMALL.

If you are a non-exerciser, I suggest that you start here first. Exercise has so many positive effects on the physical, mental and emotional body, that it can be a tremendous jumpstart to other improvements in your life. Commit to beginning a simple exercise program three times a week. Shoot for 20 minutes of cardio such as walking, biking, jogging or using a cardio machine, depending on your likes and baseline fitness level. Three times a week is doable and will create feelings of success and self-efficacy, and thus you will want to move ahead eventually. Or, if you are currently just doing cardio workouts, add twice weekly strength training workouts. Choose 8-10 exercises that target ALL major muscle groups (not just the parts you don’t like!) and begin with 1 or two sets only, depending on your baseline fitness. You do not have to commit to daily weight training, or hours in the gym. Weight training can produce great results with just two sessions a week of 30-45 minutes- as long as you are working hard and targeting the correct muscle groups. Small steps such as these can last a life time, and isn’t this what it is all about?