5 pieces of advice for you to keep on the
right track
Congratulations! You start and set up an
exercise mode. But how many times have you started then you find yourself five
it up in half-way as a lazy one? We now bring you advice and tools that
keep you on right track so that you can receive what you really want to.
Exercise
regularly
1. Planning
This is the greatest piece of advice and it
is extremely important in the first month, because it is the vital point to develop
a habit. Write down the plan for the first 4 weeks and stick it to the fridge
or somewhere that you can see it easily. It includes which exercises you will
practice every day at which time, and when you have a day off. Being a part of
a 4-week plan, it is a good idea to join a certain course with a personal
trainer to have motivation for a “start”, to check if you have suitable
exercises in the program (frequencies, intension, format, break, etc.) and
support you more if you need. And also, they will force you to practice more
intensively than you do it yourself and a good personal trainer will make your
exercises interesting and effective.
You have to get another plan to reduce the
possibility of going out of planned track: are you still jogging if it’s
raining? What if you work late and have to miss your classes? Consider your
study schedule, define that something happens unexpectedly and ensure you have
back-up plan when you need to. It can be opening an exercise CD at home when it
is raining or you miss the class after work. You know that you will set the
alarm for next early morning! You may hear this: “If you can’t plan, it means
the plan is ruined” – so make a plan (write it down), and you will reduce the
possibility of going out the planned track.
2. Support
I have mentioned the role of a personal
trainer who can help you and the support from your friends, colleagues and
family are important, too. Identify who is important to you – people who
encourage and inspire you, motivate you or they are active themselves. It is
possible that your biggest fan is your husband, who will take care of your
children when you are practicing. Turn these people into parts of your journey
in any ways you can and show them your 4-week plan. Do your friends try to make
you drink one more glass? Or you have a colleague who tries to force you eat a
cake every week? You need to tell them what you are doing and how important it
is to you. Be straight, or they will lead you to the way that you are trying to
get rid of.
3. Awards
Treat yourself with an award after the
first 4 weeks, if you can overcome this period without any important barriers,
you and keep on the right track to achieve the big aim. Meanwhile, treat
yourself with something for bigger targets. A great idea that I have seen from Catch
Fitness in Christchurch is making a box of “award” money. It is identical to
making a money box and you can put in a coin whenever you complete a certain
exercise (you must be very proud when it is full), or for any health targets you
set (for ex, cook healthy meal in the week) – a brilliant way of saving money
for an award later on. There is a Chinese saying: “A journey is a present”, so
ensure that you are enjoying this journey.
4. Write down the targets
Use an IB5 notebook to help you with your
right track. Write down the targets in your own notebook every day and write
what you intend to do/complete that day to achieve your target. Congratulate
your own success and write down all when it is not like what you plan, even
what you can do to keep the right way. It has a good impact when you have a
page for dreams in this notebook – a visible representative of what you are
trying to get. It can include a picture of a place you want to visit on your
holiday, or a picture of your perfect body in certain period. The key for
effectiveness is that you must you it every day.
Write
it down
5. Attempts
Keep in mind that you will need to keep on
the right track and it requires a lot of attempts! Achieving a target is simple
if you have a practical plan, strategies for any failures, knowledge, skills,
and support to lead you to the destination. But it is not that simple. There
are some days you when feel so tired to get out of your bed, not mention
jogging. Invitations will come, threating to interfere with your schedule and
sometimes, the improvement happens so slowly! Therefore, turn back to your
notebook and warn yourself about what you are getting and that you will feel
better after practicing! If you are really tired, or suffer from pressures or
your muscles hurt, you need to walk and practice slightly instead of usual
intensive exercises, but always try to do something, and you will have to thank
yourself after all.
