Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Tips to revive broken New Year's fitness vows

There's still time to rescue that resolution

The holidays may be a distant memory, but across the nation, people are haunted by their broken New Year's resolutions. Tops among those goals are losing weight and getting in shape. Unrealized fitness resolutions cause frustration, regret and discouragement for many who really do want a healthier, fit lifestyle.

"There's nothing wrong with resolving to get fit, but so many resolutions fail because they approach fitness in the wrong way," said Jeff Fliehs, director, Life Time Fitness personal training. "Any time is a good time to get started on a fitness program; don't be discouraged if you haven't started the year off just the way you'd hoped."

Fliehs shares Life Time Fitness' tips for rescuing your fitness resolution:

1. Relax. Remember that fitness is a continuous pursuit. You have the rest of your life to improve it -- not just this winter or before swimsuit season starts. The goal is to improve a little bit every day, not to go from couch potato to triathelete in three weeks. Don't put too much pressure on yourself or you'll set yourself up for frustration and failure.

2. Research. Give some forethought to your fitness approach. Many fling themselves into running or working with equipment without thinking if they really like it. Find something you like to do, because you're much more likely to stick with it if you do. And collect information about your body -- things like weight, pulse rate, body fat content -- before you start.

3. Reach short-term goals. Know where you're at to begin with, so you can decide where you want to go. List some achievable, measurable targets by which to track your progress. A personal trainer is great for helping you determine what these goals should be. Remember that a complete fitness program should incorporate fitness, nutrition and education for optimum results.

4. Reality check. Many fitness resolutions are too aggressive or even impossible. Be realistic. If you've been sedentary for years, a walk around the block may equal success. Good fitness is gradual, measured improvement. No matter what the television says, you're not going to have perfect abs or the body you had 20 years ago in 10 minutes a day. If you think you will, you're bound to fail.

5. Review. Know that you'll have to make adjustments and course corrections along the way. Track your progress and listen to your body. If something doesn't feel right, don't force it. If you start running and it bores you to tears, try something else. Try mixing activities to keep the interest level high.

Resolving to be fit is important, but it's also important to have a reasonable plan, to have good information about how to succeed and to make sure that your goals are achievable and reasonable. With this approach, short-term setbacks won't cause long-term failure. It's never too late to start again and start right.

For more information on Life Time Fitness, visit www.lifetimefitness.com.