Turning the clocks ahead; a reminder that Spring is just around the corner. I love the spring. It is an opportunity for renewal and spring cleaning; it’s time to whip our bodies back into shape. Take time out to evaluate your pre-winter fitness program and create a new one. Let’s treat your old workout routine like that tie-dyed tankini you just found in your bottom drawer: toss it out!
Here are some guidelines to help you spring clean your workout:
When in doubt, throw your workout out. Be honest, and assess if you truly stuck to your plan last year. How many workouts did you miss? Too many to count? Don’t beat yourself up about a lack of follow through, but instead determine the reasons that influenced the breakdown. Perhaps you missed too many workouts because you didn't plan your schedule accordingly. If that's the case, take out your appointment book and schedule them in.
Lack of planning is also a common reason for not following through. Maybe your present workout no longer excites you. Does it include strength training? Maybe substitute an hour on the treadmill with a Step or Spinning class. Hiring a personal trainer is also a good way of staying motivated.
Cater your routine to your body. Working out is great for your body, unless your workout is causing injuries. That’s why you should always know your physical limitations. For example, if you want to take up, or continue, running this year, then make sure your shoes cater to your feet. Those of us with fallen arches need a different support system in our shoes than those with bunions, and so on.
Do you have a chronic condition, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary artery disease? You should never have to give up working out. You just need to create a workout that is compatible with your ability. Ask your doctor for help.
Keep a diary. To help you focus, I suggest you keep a workout diary. Include notes or reflections on how you feel after you’ve exercised. For example, say you ran four miles on the treadmill at 6.0 mph first thing in the morning and felt particularly strong. Then, an hour later you felt totally exhausted. Write it down. This may help you realize that you skipped breakfast that morning, or perhaps you over-trained the day before.
Another tip: take two full body Polaroid pictures; front and side views, and tape it to the page of your journal. Update your diary monthly with new pictures. When you are feeling discouraged, you can always refer back to your previous entries to see the results over a period of time. Nothing is more motivating than seeing changes in your physique. Don't be shy or embarrassed. This is your own workout journal, and no one has to see it but you.
Seek help. This may be the perfect time to enlist the aid of a professional to help you jumpstart your new workout in the right direction. Hire a qualified personal trainer for only few sessions to review your workout results. He or she can give you great ideas for more effective workouts or determine what needs to be changed to obtain greater results. If nutrition is the hard part for you, meet with a nutritionist for detailed eating plans based on your goals.
Assess your goals. Take the time to analyze your efforts so you can meet the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. Determine what changes you need to make and then implement strategies that will influence the results you want. Remember … summer, a.k.a. bathing suit season, is closer than you think.