For beginners, getting into fitness can be intimidating and confusing. But it doesn't
have to be that way. In fact, getting fit is one of the most straightforward tasks
you'll attempt in the New Year. Fortunately, reaching your fitness goals requires
only two things; discipline (that's up to you) and a set of simple guidelines
(which I'm happy to provide).
First, you should arrange for a full physical examination from your physician. This
is mandatory for people that have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes,
or are obese. Once you have your doctor's approval to begin a fitness program,
you should schedule a fitness assessment with a health professional at your gym.
While both of these are incredibly annoying, they are essential to your success
and well-being. The benefits of a doctor's visit are obvious, particularly
if you have one or more of the previously mentioned conditions but it also allows
you and your doctor to discuss your lifestyle. Preventative medicine is far better
than reactive medicine. Make your doctor part of your fat loss and health-building
team along with the health professionals at your gym.
The real benefits of the fitness assessment aren't finding out how much body
fat you have or how many minutes you can last on the treadmill, but rather getting
a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. If you want to avoid injury
and actually achieve your goals this year, get to know your strengths and weaknesses.
The next secret is to walk, don't run, to fitness success. If you want to
pick up your University running workouts where you left them 10 years ago, that's
fine. But I guarantee you won't last 10 days. And then it'll be a dreary
355 days until you're ready to try exercise again.
The hidden benefit of a good fitness assessment is that it will actually serve as
a nice introductory workout to your return to fitness. It will buffer your delusions
of fitness grandeur from the reality of what your body actually can do. After the
fitness assessment teaches your body a lesson and awakens your muscles from their
winter slumber, only then will you realize your limits that you must respect in
subsequent workouts.
Goal-setting is the fourth secret to success (and not just in fitness, but in any
area of life). It is much more effective to commit to a set of specific short-term
and long-term goals than it is to routinely hope for weight loss each year.
Set realistic goals and remember to train within your limits. If you are currently
sedentary and haven't exercised in months (or years), don't begin an
advanced training program. Start with a conservative beginner program. Your belly
wasn't built in a day, and neither will be lost overnight.