How to Live a Successful Fitness Lifestyle

How to Live a Successful Fitness Lifestyle

Dear Deborah

Question from Ann, New York City: Every time I start a fitness program, life gets in the way, I start stalling and before I know it I've fallen off the wagon and gained 5 pounds. I can't really afford a personal trainer, but I can see how it can help you stay on track. I have tried DVDs and classes with no success. Is there anything out there that can help me?

Answer: Thank you, Ann, for your honesty. I know many women have similar frustrations when pursuing their fitness lifestyle. There is a lot of new research in the fitness world and with this lack of research comes a new mix of personal trainers. Called fitness lifestyle trainers, they offer both exercise and behavioral advice and are a cheaper alternative to a personal fitness trainer. I'll answer your question in the mindset of a fitness lifestyle coach so you can get a sense of how the lifestyle fitness coaching process can work.

So let's get down to basics and define fitness, which includes three elements. First, you need a cardio challenge that significantly increases your heart and breathing rate. The second ingredient is strength training, which challenges the muscles through resistance work. Third is flexibility, muscles need to stretch to maintain mobility. Remember, you get stiff, then you get old. Trying to do all three elements in the beginning can feel daunting, so don't.

Choose an item you like. All three are equally important, so choosing one can be the key to starting a lifestyle you can participate in consistently. Once one item becomes a habit because you enjoy it, which usually takes 28 days, you can add another. Add each element gradually and in small doses so as not to overwhelm yourself. If you enjoy two or even all three elements of fitness, dedicate a little time to each so that you can achieve success with the time set for each element. Be realistic about your time span. If you can't live up to it, you'll feel like a failure. So choose smaller time frames and experience success. Think, do a little less and emphasize success and it builds confidence.

You need to figure out what motivates you or turns you on. To get motivated, you need a fitness vision. This vision involves using your imagination to project into your future. Are you wondering what it would look like if you were successfully living your fitness lifestyle after a year or two? Visualize how you look, act, eat, sleep, etc. until you can feel it, see it, smell it, breathe it. By making it as real as possible for yourself, you will feel the excitement rising within you. This gets your mojo working for you.

Set goals now to achieve this vision. Where am I now? How can I get closer to this vision in 3 months / 6 months? What do I do weekly? Start with small weekly goals so that you feel like you've accomplished something every time you reach your goals. Then add a little more challenge each week, and as you successfully achieve your goals, your confidence will grow.

We all know how life gets in the way, that progress is never linear. So be creative and see possible problems. Play out in your mind how these obstacles can stop you and how you can find ways around them. This way, when problems arise, you won't be unprepared and will be better prepared to handle the situation and keep up with your fitness lifestyle.

Yes, hiring a trainer makes it easier for you to stay on top of your fitness, but it can be satisfying, rewarding, and even more powerful to do it yourself because you've thoughtfully found your own solutions instead of just following directions.

A personal trainer shows up with training programs that challenge you and take you to a higher level of fitness. Where a lifestyle fitness coach challenges you to get creative, problem solve, know yourself better and overcome barriers, break old habits and build confidence to develop healthier new ones so you can maintain a fitness lifestyle independently.

A lifestyle fitness coach also gives a training session once a week and addresses specific training needs. You can find a fitness trainer at http://www.wellcoaches.com or just Google Lifestyle Fitness Coaches.

I would love to hear from you, questions, comments, problems, successes email deb@vitalsignsfitness.com. Now get out there and get your mojo going!

Deborah Caruana RN, MES, CPT, FLCoach. Network: http://www.vitalsignsfitness.com

Inspired by Ezine and Deborah Caruana