Real Life Real faith Journey to Wellness January Issue | Page 12
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RLRF
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JANUARY 2016
intrinsically. What’s the difference and which
approach is more successful? An example of an
extrinsic goal would be the desire to fit into a
certain size dress or suit by a certain date for a
special event (i.e. wedding, reunion, etc). While
this may work in the short term, people tend to
fall back into old habits after the event pas
passed.
Intrinsic goals tend to keep us on track for
longer as they are driving us from within, ie: “I
want to be healthier so that I live a longer and
more productive life and spend quality time
with loved ones.”
Whatever the case may be, it’s important to
establish WHY you want to start exercising and
develop a strategy to stay with it! Let’s take a
look at a few strategies that are commonly
helpful in keeping people on track once they’ve
gotten started.
First, just try doing some
exercise! Get up 10 minutes
earlier in the morning and
before you jump in the
shower, do 15 squats, 15
pushups (from the knees is
totally fine), and 15
crunches. See how you feel!
Not knowing what exercises to do or what order to do them are other common reasons for not
getting started.
So, if we know exercise is good for us and we want to establish an exercise program, how do we
get started? There are many answers to this and it all depends upon the person, their attitude
towards health and fitness, past experiences, personality type, and to some degree their current
level of fitness. Let’s discuss some approaches that often prove successful.
First, it’s important to know WHY you want to get started. For some, extrinsic goals are a driving
force while others are driven
Perhaps you want add in some cardio and get
the heart rate elevated. Try running in place or
doing a powerwalk on a treadmill or outside. If
you have a stairway, make a few trips up and
down your steps!
If you can’t seem to muster up the motivation to
do exercise on your own, reach out and partner
up. Find a family member or friend who will
workout with you. This strategy has many
benefits and tends to keep people on track
longer. First, there’s a good chance that you’re
workout partner will be glad you asked,
especially if they can’t seem to get started on
their own. By setting regular days and times to
workout, you quickly develop accountability.
You can motivate each other to show up and
stick with it once you begin your workouts.
Try a group fitness class! In most fitness centers,
you’ll find a wide array of classes offered at
many times during the day. Try a few different
classes and see what you like best. Studies show
that people tend to stick with their exercise
program if they’re doing something they enjoy.
If group exercise isn’t your thing, perhaps it’s
time to try a personal trainer. A good trainer can
help you set SMART goals (specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic, and timely). Working with a
good trainer is an investment in the future of
your health because you’ll not only realize the
benefits of exercise, but you’ll get an education
which will help you to continue on your own in
the fut ure.
More important than anything – JUST GET
STARTED! Once you get started, you’ll feel
better and get the energy to keep going!