Fitness Wisdom: Spring Resolutions

Fitness Wisdom

Editor’s Note: This column is sponsored by FitnessWise (4801-B Montgomery Lane). Visit their Facebook page for more.

It looks like Spring is FINALLY here!

It was a long, tough winter. And let’s face it, while New Year’s Resolutions sound like a good idea, in reality, the new year is not the best time to make fitness resolutions.

Here in Bethesda, it is cold and nasty outside (particularly so this winter). That sure makes you want to get up before dawn to hit the gym before work, right? Oh, and a nice jog or bike ride on the Capital Crescent Trail would be just lovely. . . if it weren’t for the ice everywhere!

When you get back to work or school from the holiday break there are new quarterly goals or you need to buckle down to make up for the work you didn’t get done before the break. Yes, the holidays are over and all those parties and big meals are gone, but you’re not out of the nutrition woods yet.

You still have to get through the wining, dining, and sweet stuff of Valentine’s Day. Plus, the cold weather makes you want to have something warm and filling instead of a cold, light salad.

All this is to say that the path heading towards better fitness in January is a tough, winding, uphill path.

If you were able to get through the first three months of the year with your health and fitness goals intact, then more power to you. But if not, then now is the time to refocus and re-energize. The path looks much better now. You can see summer around the corner. If you focus on a goal now, then you can reach it by July 4.

Here are five ways that you can take advantage of the change in season to spring into a new resolution:

1.GET UP AND GET OUT – Find a fun outdoor activity to do. It can be running, cycling, swimming, a kickball league, fire spinning, badminton, rock climbing, kayaking, softball, golf, or something else. It should be something that allows you to get out and enjoy the sun and the change of season.  If it involves other people, and you are a social animal (most of us are at some level) then it is even better. Perhaps it can be an activity that you can enjoy with a loved one.  But the more you can make exercise not seem like exercise, the better.

2. GEAR UP — “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good.”

That’s what our JV basketball coach used to say, and he was right. When it comes to fitness, sometimes getting a new pair of sneakers, some fresh workout clothes, or some new music on your iPod can be enough to get you feeling good and motivated.

Even just a new pair of socks can help (knee-high neon socks are my favorite). Plus, whatever activity you choose for the spring probably requires “proper” equipment. Whether it’s shoes, a new bike, goggles, poi, chalk or racquets, be sure to do your research, ask people who already participate in the activity and get the right gear. You don’t want to be that guy or gal who gets hurt because of improper planning.

3. BE S.M.A.R.T. – Set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Let’s take these one at a time:

Specific – Don’t just say that you want to lose weight. Exactly how much do you want to lose? How far do you want to run? How fast do you want to run that distance? What new skills do you want to learn? What do you want to be able to do?

Measurable – You should have a way to reliably measure your progress toward your goal. If you can get someone else to objectively measure, then that is even better (plus you accomplish another goal of creating accountability — more on that later). But whatever your goal, there should be a way to quantify it. And be careful not to measure too often. For most goals, testing every one to three months is sufficient. Don’t focus too much on the goal and ignore the steps that it will take to get there.

Attainable – Be realistic. In the timeframe that you have, is it possible to reach your goal? If we are talking about a July 4 goal, don’t say that you are going to lose 50 pounds. While 50 pounds may be a long-term goal, set your sights on a goal that you can see on the horizon, then set another goal once you get there. A more realistic goal may be to lose 10 pounds by July 4.

Relevant – Your goal needs to have real meaning for you if you hope to reach it. It should be truly important to your happiness and/or existence. Going to the Olympics in water polo may not have any appeal for you, but it may be a goal for someone else that is swimming in the lane next to you at the local pool. Relevance also has to do with whether your goal is the right goal. Do you need to lose weight, or do you need to lose body fat?

Time-bound – Again, give yourself a realistic timeframe to achieve your goal. Again, it should be a  time or date that is in the near future. Unless you are that Olympic hopeful, it should be something that you can put on your calendar for THIS year.

If your goal involves a particular sport or recreational activity, sign up for something. Find a competition, charity race, camp, or some other way to test yourself, then sign-up for it. You can even wrap it up in something fun or a vacation.

4. GET YOUR MIND RIGHT – This may be the most important step in the process. There are many ways to get yourself mentally prepared to accomplish your goals.

Here are a few suggestions: If you have set SMART goals, than you are halfway there. Now, write down that goal, sign it and put it some place where you will see it at least once every day. Tell other people about it. Post it on Facebook. Tell your trainer or coach. The more people you can rally behind you, the more likely you will succeed. For us humans, accountability goes a long way.

Once you’ve done that, get a journal and write down one thing each day that you did to work toward that goal. Spend a little time (it can be five minutes) each day thinking about your goal and your progress. Imagine how you will look and feel when you accomplish that goal. If you can see it, then you can be it.

5. FUEL UP – Poor nutrition will hamper your progress — whether your goal is body fat loss or climbing Mount Everest. Our bodies need energy to do things. If you don’t put gas in the tank before a trip, or if you put the wrong type of gas in the tank, either you won’t get to where you need to go or you will damage your car in the process.

Try to eat high-octane foods every 2-3 hours from the time you get up until three hours before bedtime. Many diet problems will go away if you eat more often. Your blood sugar will stay more level, you will not get hungry and crave the foods that you know are not good for you, you will have more energy, you will keep your body from metabolizing your own hard-earned muscle for fuel and the list goes on.

What are “high-octane” fuel sources? Here’s a simple, precise definition from CrossFit founder Greg Glassman: “meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.”

In our next installment, we’ll give you another five guidelines for continuing your Spring Resolutions. . .

In Health,

The FitnessWise Team

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