Starting a Fitness Plan and Sticking With It

The summer after my first year of college, I stepped on the scale, then immediately stepped off it. It took less than three seconds for the needle to register that I was 191 lbs, and several minutes for me to acknowledge that this number was up from 164. I could blame the Freshman 15, but that wouldn't make sense because I had gained 27 pounds. I could blame my genes or take responsibility for my jeans. A few days later, my body fat percentage based on a 7-site caliper test was 31...and I was just 19 years old.

As it turns out, I spent the remaining three years of my collegiate life working at a rec center, followed by a fitness and wellness center. During that time, I observed a lot and learned even more. To this day, based on gym traffic alone, I don't have to look at a calendar to know when it is the first six weeks of a new year and when there are only three weeks left before Spring Break. For me, fitness is a lifestyle change, not a seasonal fad. The following points are lessons learned, now infused in my fitness regimen.

1. Focus on WHY fitness is important to you.
The more I thought about the 191 lbs, I began to think about the toll and potential risks that it was taking on my body--shortness of breath, physcial sluggishness, and family history of Type 2 Diabetes were the top three items on my list. I've learned from my own and other's experiences that when there is a focus on losing weight for a person, event, or even pair of pants, there is more of a "by any means neccessary" mentality. With this, people are more likely to subscribe to fad diets and burnout fitness routines. It is more beneficial to concentrate on long-term fitness and health.

2. Start with manageable goals.
Most plans fail when you go into exercise overload mode. If you have an estranged relationship with the gym, you'll soon be in the off-again status if you immediately rush into working out everyday for 2 hours. Pace yourself and set manageable goals. Start with working out three times per week, 20-30 minutes at a time. Not only will this give your body time to recover and diminish the chances of fatigue and burnout, but it will also help you slowly build a routine. This same rule applies to training for races and other competitions. In training for my first 5k, I found it easier to start with minute goals. In the first week, I ran for 10 minutes, then progressed to 15 minutes, 18 minutes, and eventually 30 minutes as the weeks went on. With endurance mastered, the latter stages of my training focused on distance. Exercise, like learning math, is cumulative. Don't start with calculus if you haven't mastered addition and subtraction, or even even exposed yourself to algebra. Form a solid base and progress from there.

3. Find the immediate rewards that will sustain motivation.
Many people suggest rewarding yourself with a pair of shoes or a workout outfit once you reach a fitness milestone. If you're living The Budgeted Life like I am, your cash flow may already be earmarked for other things. Also, I like to see my progress between the milestones. While exercise logs are encouraging, depending on what you record, they can be tedious. Also, logs may not be an immediate snapshot that is constantly in view. This year, I started marking my progress with smiley face stickers. (This doesn't just work for kindergartners). Every time I worked out, I would put a sticker on the calendar in my bedroom for each day that I worked out. I could immediately decipher a good week from a not so good week and a lazy month from an active month. My supervisor liked the idea so much that she began putting stickers on her calendar at work. It was a constant reminder for her to leave the office at a decent enough time to hit the gym after work. It also served as a personal inspiration to me whenever I walked into her office.

4. Get a personalized fitness plan.
Working at a fitness and wellness center, I received plenty of free personalized fitness programs to keep me physically challenged and interested in working out. In my experience since, I found that most gym memberships include a free consultation and fitness plan for new members. Personal trainers, although they can be costly, are also great to work with and ensure proper technique. To cut down on the expenses of personal trainers, consider stretching out your plans to a once per week or biweekly basis, or split the cost with a friend or two. Fitness magazines are also great resources that offer specific and specialized workout plans.

5. Create an accountability system.
Personally, I am very much a loner when it comes to working out. Exercising is my escape and alone time, so I am not they type of person who likes to run alongside a friend on the treadmill or take turns on weight machines. Realizing however, that there is increased accountability when working out with somone, I agree to meet my friends at the door and then we both go our separate ways. Knowing that my friend will be waiting for me at the gym at 6am provides all the motivation I need to get out of bed. When it comes to fitness classes, try building rapport with the instructor and other students in the class. When you walk into the class and you are acknowledged by name, there is much more of an investment, and let's face it, a little bit of guilt when if you are ever asked, "Where were you last week?" Talking with instructors before or after class about difficulties with the routine can solicit suggestions for improving technique, modifying poses/movements, and provide markers for growth.

6. Remember the long term results.
It's so easy to become discouraged by stepping on the scale or trying to squeeze into the pre-holiday season jeans from last year. Instead of focusing on the short term results, turn your attention to increased endurance and strength, combating the risk of fatal diseases, and the fact that you're not out of breath after climbing a flight of stairs. Physical fitness is a lifestyle and gradual results over a period of time are longer lasting and more satisfying than short-term quick fixes.

7. Have fun being experimental!
Don't adhere to a particular routine just because that's what you see everyone else doing. There are other ways besides the treadmill, elliptical, and sitdown/upright bikes to get a good work out. Try the stairstepper, rowing machine, swimming, tennis, raquetball, jump roping, or aerobics classes. I never thought I would enjoy Tai Chi or that Pilates would become a staple in my routine. As someone who would never take enough time to stretch, Yoga is a must-have component. Who knows, you may even find a new hobby.

(Remember to consult a physician before starting any exercise plan)