Earlier I discussed some of bad habits and things that pop up when starting a diet or exercise program that no one ever has the balls to say to people. Well now I am hoping to inspire some thought.
I know, making people think is a sure fire way to make everyone hate you (I’m a professor and I’m used to it), but if more people put a little thought into choosing and executing their exercise program, there would be a heck of a lot more fit people around.
Start Slow
Everyone gets really excited when starting an exercise program, or at the very least nervous. People often daydream of their fitter selves running 10 miles at a time or deadlifting three-times their body weight.
Now trust me, those goals and positive images are great tools, but don’t expect them to come true overnight.
Like the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and a healthier you can’t be either. The same truth in dieting extends to exercise; slow consistent changes will equal bigger and better results.
Build a Good Foundation
You will find that when it comes to health and exercise, imagery is the weapon of choice. It makes complicated concepts easier to understand as we draw connections to already established ideas. Sometimes, it can be used to highlight the importance of a particular idea.
Like a good foundation.
In this case, I want you to imagine a beautiful house (maybe it’s yours maybe not). Now, imagine that it took you years to build it and you’ve used it daily for many years with great success. Unfortunately, way back when you started to build it, you skimped out on the foundation to save time or effort. Today, you notice your house is a bit shorter than it used to be, the water heater is broken and the electronics are screwy.
“Oh but whatever, I’ll just fix it as it goes”.
The next day your house is even lower, and now you can’t use your front door and have to climb in through the windows. You’re stuck and call for help because your house is sinking and failing. The engineers come and offer suggestions but they quietly say under their breath, “If you only put in a good foundation none of this would have ever happened”.
Good analogy right?
You have to carefully build yourself up to exercise. Too often people rush into and push through the pitfalls only to end up reaching part of their goals but with injuries or damage to their systems that set them back from their ideal. Do your research and pick something that is right for you.
Focus on the basics, especially FLEXIBILITY.
I always recommended working on flexibility and low heart rate cardio like walking just to get the body used to the stresses it is going to be under.
Am I in good enough health to start exercise?
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as being too unhealthy to jump right into a program.
Heart conditions, blood pressure, digestive diseases, and neurological problems are just a few things that may be a red flag when it comes to starting a program.
Always, and I mean ALWAYS, check with your physician before starting any program to make sure you are in good enough health to exercise. The alternative is a scary one that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.What equipment or space do I need?
This one is one that usually gets covered, but is still worth mentioning. Most exercise programs out there want you to buy their videos or weight sets or bands or hippy nifty gadgets. T
here is not always a need for fancy equipment, especially when you are just starting out.
But at some point you will need access to some of it, which why a lot of people belong to gyms. Maybe you need a place to walk your 3 miles a day or your 5 mile run. Maybe you will be doing bodyweight exercises and just need a place big enough for you to lay down flat.
It all requires a little consideration before starting.
Why am I doing this?
This is big one and frankly too many people start a program for the wrong reasons. If you are getting in shape for healthier for the sake of someone else….I wish you best of luck but in my experience, you will fail before you reach the end goal.
Change is awesome and important and absolutely everyone hates it…at least in the beginning.
Unless your reason is a personal and meaningful one that’s important to you, there will come a point where an obstacle or change isn’t going to be worth it and you will fail to conquer it.
I’ve seen countless athletes with limitless potential never reach it because their reasons for pushing themselves to get better were always about someone else.
And guess what, none of them made it big.
Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons and you will find no matter the challenges ahead of you, success will be yours.
Am I doing this alone?
The answer should be no. That doesn’t mean you need to get someone else to go through it with you, but find someone who is willing to support you in your journey. A family member, significant other, friend, even an enemy will do the trick.
Everyone needs someone who will support you when things get tough, celebrate with you when things are great and call you on it when you back down from things you shouldn’t. The fact is everyone needs someone to call on for help now and again and if you’re lucky you already have someone in mind.
When do I start?
The truth is, there is no real answer for this. The best I can do is tell you that when you are ready and committed to begin changing things in your life, when all of these questions are answered and you feel confident and prepared for the success, that is when you should start.
For some people, that can be tomorrow. For others right now. Others still may say on this time and date in 3 weeks. Whenever you do decided to start make it for real, no false starts in improving your health.
Do it or do not, there are no redos in life.
How do I pick a program?
This is, again, a question with a million possible answers.
It comes down to what your goals are, what you are capable of doing, and that is it. Everything else is a preference. Do your research and I mean actually research things not just look at a bunch of magazine or read some celebrities tweets or blogs for workout ideas.
Find a program, learn the program, use the program, and don’t stop and start another until you have mastered the first one.
It’s like Kung Fu, you must first learn how to think before I can teach you how to move.
I will say this, there are some people out there who are truly masters of their craft and this case, I know a master personally.
My brother knows more about the intricacies of exercise and its effect on the human body then most doctors and academics that I know.
I know, making people think is a sure fire way to make everyone hate you (I’m a professor and I’m used to it), but if more people put a little thought into choosing and executing their exercise program, there would be a heck of a lot more fit people around.
Start Slow
Everyone gets really excited when starting an exercise program, or at the very least nervous. People often daydream of their fitter selves running 10 miles at a time or deadlifting three-times their body weight.
Now trust me, those goals and positive images are great tools, but don’t expect them to come true overnight.
Like the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and a healthier you can’t be either. The same truth in dieting extends to exercise; slow consistent changes will equal bigger and better results.
Build a Good Foundation
You will find that when it comes to health and exercise, imagery is the weapon of choice. It makes complicated concepts easier to understand as we draw connections to already established ideas. Sometimes, it can be used to highlight the importance of a particular idea.
Like a good foundation.
In this case, I want you to imagine a beautiful house (maybe it’s yours maybe not). Now, imagine that it took you years to build it and you’ve used it daily for many years with great success. Unfortunately, way back when you started to build it, you skimped out on the foundation to save time or effort. Today, you notice your house is a bit shorter than it used to be, the water heater is broken and the electronics are screwy.
“Oh but whatever, I’ll just fix it as it goes”.
The next day your house is even lower, and now you can’t use your front door and have to climb in through the windows. You’re stuck and call for help because your house is sinking and failing. The engineers come and offer suggestions but they quietly say under their breath, “If you only put in a good foundation none of this would have ever happened”.
Good analogy right?
You have to carefully build yourself up to exercise. Too often people rush into and push through the pitfalls only to end up reaching part of their goals but with injuries or damage to their systems that set them back from their ideal. Do your research and pick something that is right for you.
Focus on the basics, especially FLEXIBILITY.
I always recommended working on flexibility and low heart rate cardio like walking just to get the body used to the stresses it is going to be under.
Am I in good enough health to start exercise?
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as being too unhealthy to jump right into a program.
Heart conditions, blood pressure, digestive diseases, and neurological problems are just a few things that may be a red flag when it comes to starting a program.
Always, and I mean ALWAYS, check with your physician before starting any program to make sure you are in good enough health to exercise. The alternative is a scary one that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.What equipment or space do I need?
This one is one that usually gets covered, but is still worth mentioning. Most exercise programs out there want you to buy their videos or weight sets or bands or hippy nifty gadgets. T
here is not always a need for fancy equipment, especially when you are just starting out.
But at some point you will need access to some of it, which why a lot of people belong to gyms. Maybe you need a place to walk your 3 miles a day or your 5 mile run. Maybe you will be doing bodyweight exercises and just need a place big enough for you to lay down flat.
It all requires a little consideration before starting.
Why am I doing this?
This is big one and frankly too many people start a program for the wrong reasons. If you are getting in shape for healthier for the sake of someone else….I wish you best of luck but in my experience, you will fail before you reach the end goal.
Change is awesome and important and absolutely everyone hates it…at least in the beginning.
Unless your reason is a personal and meaningful one that’s important to you, there will come a point where an obstacle or change isn’t going to be worth it and you will fail to conquer it.
I’ve seen countless athletes with limitless potential never reach it because their reasons for pushing themselves to get better were always about someone else.
And guess what, none of them made it big.
Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons and you will find no matter the challenges ahead of you, success will be yours.
Am I doing this alone?
The answer should be no. That doesn’t mean you need to get someone else to go through it with you, but find someone who is willing to support you in your journey. A family member, significant other, friend, even an enemy will do the trick.
Everyone needs someone who will support you when things get tough, celebrate with you when things are great and call you on it when you back down from things you shouldn’t. The fact is everyone needs someone to call on for help now and again and if you’re lucky you already have someone in mind.
When do I start?
The truth is, there is no real answer for this. The best I can do is tell you that when you are ready and committed to begin changing things in your life, when all of these questions are answered and you feel confident and prepared for the success, that is when you should start.
For some people, that can be tomorrow. For others right now. Others still may say on this time and date in 3 weeks. Whenever you do decided to start make it for real, no false starts in improving your health.
Do it or do not, there are no redos in life.
How do I pick a program?
This is, again, a question with a million possible answers.
It comes down to what your goals are, what you are capable of doing, and that is it. Everything else is a preference. Do your research and I mean actually research things not just look at a bunch of magazine or read some celebrities tweets or blogs for workout ideas.
Find a program, learn the program, use the program, and don’t stop and start another until you have mastered the first one.
It’s like Kung Fu, you must first learn how to think before I can teach you how to move.
I will say this, there are some people out there who are truly masters of their craft and this case, I know a master personally.
My brother knows more about the intricacies of exercise and its effect on the human body then most doctors and academics that I know.
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