It is very good to keep fit
(jogging, working out at home or the gym, eating healthy
and so on) because of the many health benefits that come with it. But many a
time, people start a fitness program
with the thought that the journey to those fitness goals is going to be a rosy
one. By the time they attempt some programs for one or two weeks, they lose
enthusiasm because of the type of discipline and patience, in weeks of
consistency, required in order to start seeing the results on their body, and
therefore slump back to their old lazy, unhealthy-eating-habit, chubby selves.
The reality is keeping fit and
getting results is not a day or a week's job. You have to know right from the
very beginning that it will need discipline and patience. To develop this
discipline and patience, you should have as a guide, the following acronym
called SMART:
1. S is Specific, meaning you should
have in mind what you wish to achieve with starting a fitness program: do you
want to lose a certain amount of pounds in weight; develop your muscles; or
improve your endurance level. Having a specific target will help keep you going
on days when you're likely not to be in the mood.
2. M is Measurable. You should find
ways to measure periodically, maybe weekly or every two weeks, the impact of
your fitness program. It may be discouraging sometimes with little to no or
even worsening results, but this helps you critically evaluate yourself to find
out and correct what you might have done wrong in the preceding weeks as
regards your fitness.
3. A is Attainable. Before you begin
your fitness journey, ensure you plan it in such a way that you will be able to
faithfully adhere to the earmarked fitness activities, without regular
impedance from your work schedule and other engagements you have on a daily
basis. This means if you work till evening, you should have your fitness
activities inserted in the early morning or late in the evening when you will
have time to actually work out. Planning in this way and sticking to it will
help you make your fitness activities a subconscious routine which is one of
the best things that can happen to you.
4. R is Realistic. Before starting
out on that fitness journey, you must have realistic expectations; if your
belly is ballooned out with fat, don't expect to have six packs after one month
of fitness activities. Instead, bear in mind that that belly fat will probably
take months to burn before another work starts on toning your abdominal muscles
to six packs. So, measure your waist circumference monthly and track and
celebrate those tiny centimetres that disappear as a reduction in abdominal
fat.
5. T is Transparent. You should be
able to share your fitness activities and the gradual progress you're making
with friends, colleagues and even with social media friends on a periodic
basis. Being transparent in this case is not forcing you to share your fitness
journey; it is more of a choice, but it can help keep you motivated to
continue: friends encouraging you and those who may start looking up to your
fitness journey and progress as an inspiration to start their own fitness
journey.
You can get a kind of fitness diary
where you can draw up a weekly schedule using the SMART guideline. You should
be honest with yourself in the area of requirements needed for your fitness
activities (going to the gym, waking up very early to jog, stopping unhealthy
eating habits and so on), and possible constraints such as unplanned
emergencies that may come up in your workplace or other engagements, taking
extra hours or days and your fitness program in those periods.
There's no rule on working out every
day of the week. But try and make it at least 2 times a week. And don't beat
yourself or get discouraged when urgent work engagements mess up your fitness
program day. Make up for it the next available time.
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