6 steps to getting your groove back
Thursday, October 9th, 2008It’s a national epidemic. Millions of people are spiraling down a deep dark hole.
And it has nothing to do with the economy.
It’s your motivation — your groove — and you’ve lost it as if you had gambled it away on Wall Street.
Your intentions were good. You had all of these illusions of grandeur. That dress you were finally going to fit into. This was the year. No more innocent comments from a long-unseen acquaintances, “When’s the baby due?” But you aren’t expecting. This was the year. The speech you got yet again from the doctor encouraging you to get some exercise. THIS WAS THE YEAR.
What happened?
We all know why we should exercise. Never mind 1 in 2 adults are overweight and 40 percent of use are clinically obese. Forget about the fact that our weight is contributing to our crushing economy to the tune of more than $85 million per year in added medical strain to our already precarious health care system. And let’s not forget about the fact that our little ones are, indeed, watching us — 1 in 3 of our kiddos are now overweight, too (they pay attention so well, don’t they?).
So why can’t we get our frannies off the couch and into class? If I knew the answer to that, I’d be set! But since I don’t know why we can’t just get up and go, I’ll offer some advice to keep us going once that spark finds us:
1. Establish a realistic goal with a definitive timeline
Example: “I will lose 15 pounds in three months.”
This is a great goal for several reasons. It’s a realistic goal that is totally attainable. It also sets a realistic deadline. And, look at the wording — “will lose” not “want to lose.” There’s no room for perhaps, probablys and maybes.
2. Take a picture
You have your goal, now you need a constant reminder of why you set that goal. And maybe you are happy with your weight, but you are hoping exercise will correct some posture problems. Or perhaps you want some muscle definition. Taking a “before” picture will help in all these instances — especially if you keep it in a spot you’ll see everyday.
3. Make a list
Write down all the reasons for the goal. If you want to lose 15 pounds, are you setting that goal to fit better in your clothes, to look hot at a reunion, to have more energy to play with your children, or to reduce your risk of heart disease and breast cancer (you do know that being overweight IS a risk factor for both, right?). Keep this list next to your before picture and when you don’t feel like coming to class, look at that picture and reread your list.
4. Start a journal
Write down everything you eat (it will force you to rethink your choices if you know you have to write it down and take ownership of it). Also, write down every exercise you do. Write down how you felt after your workouts (and hopefully they are positive feelings!). When you aren’t feeling the Jazzercise love, refer back to your journal and remind yourself how much fun you have in class and how good your body felt afterwards.
5. Read, Read, Read!
In your spare time, grab a fitness magazine or book and read about all the ways exercise is good for you! Find a great tip or a scary statistic? Write it down in your journal.
6. Grab a Buddy
It is really hard to blow off class when your best girlfriend is honking her horn outside your door waiting for you, ain’t it? Grab a friend, neighbor, relative, stranger — whatever! Make yourself accountable to someone else and you’ll be at class a lot more than you would be without a buddy. Don’t have any friends, relatives or strangers (tee hee!)? Then ask someone in class if they want to buddy up with you!
