Find your inner Miss Fit
1). Firstly, you need to figure out how much time that you can realistically allocate to exercise in a week. It has to be manageable, say 3 x 40 minutes per week. This could be during a lunchhour, when the kids are at school, before or after work or at the weekend. If you find it challenging to set aside specific times, get a pedometer, this counts how many steps you do each day - 13,000 is healthy for an adult, more is better - obviously. You’d be amazed how many you clock up running after naughty children or walking from Waitrose to the hairdressers.
2) In that time, what would you enjoy doing? There’s no point saying ‘going for a jog’ if you think jogging is equivalent to torture. You won’t stick to something you dread doing. If applicable, you also need to consider time to reach the location where you will do the exercise, what cost is involved, what equipment is required and who will be supervising the exercise. All of these things are relevant and will contribute whether or not you stick to your regime. Personally, I get bored quite easily so like something with quite a lot of variety and I love to exercise to music. Whether it’s Amy Whinehouse or Michael Jackson that gets you moving, find the right thing to give you some easy energy.
3) Phone a friend! One of the key stumbling blocks to exercise is maintaining motivation. Aside from point (2) that you must enjoy it to want to continue, try to involve a friend or colleague or someone you enjoy spending time with and who will encourage you to keep it up or at the very least continually nag you when you feel like slacking! Exercising with others will be more fun and if you do this via a club or organisation, you might make new friends. Be warned though, joint social activities which involve lifting a glass of wine from the table to your mouth does not constitute ‘exercise’!
4) Have goals. I worked with a client whose objective was to lose two stone in six months. We devised a personalised plan for her which involved a nutritional review and exercise strategy and I helped her to stick to it. She also bought a beautiful dress she wanted to wear to a Christmas ball and by the end of the six months, it fitted perfectly and she looked stunning. The confidence she gained and compliments she received led her to continue the programme to maintain her new weight and fitness. Another client scared herself into a great routine by the thought of her approaching holiday where she would be wearing a bikini for the first time in over a year and in front of a new boyfriend. Whilst fear is not always the best motivation, it can really work! Other goals could be a Charity fun run - this gives you a realistic target, a social way to enjoy exercise and an opportunity to support a good cause.
Miss Fit will be running a couple such events in Summer 2008, so watch this space.
5) Finally, be kind to yourself. Take it one step at a time and be realistic. Give yourself praise for sticking to your weekly or monthly plan. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a size 12 bottom. Don’t beat yourself up for having the odd piece of chocolate or an ice cream with the kids. Remember - this is real life - not Heat magazine! Size zero jeans would look tight on most twelve year olds and Angelina Jolie probably doesn’t work a 50 hour week. Embrace what it means to be a woman, set realistic ambitions and achievable plans and be happy!
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