A Happy New Year to all our members (current and past) and to anyone who is seriously thinking about improving their health and fitness in 2020.
A brand new year, of course, is the time when many of us enthusiastically make our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, many of us start with good intentions but how many make it past even to the end of January?
Anyway, congratulations if you have managed to start and maintain a new habit!
How do you establish a fitness habit?
Inevitably, at this time of year, people begin to think seriously about their health and fitness and (re-) establishing a healthy fitness regime. However, establishing a new habit is not at all easy and unfortunately probably involves breaking a few bad habits! Indeed, the experts tell us: on average it takes from 21 to 66 days (3 -9 weeks) to establish a new habit.
The difficulties are exacerbated by our surrounding culture which demands a quick fix for everything! Sadly, in this area, there are no quick-fixes but we are here to help and, joining a gym like Ladies First Fitness where you are motivated by friendly and helpful coaches and other like-minded women, means that your chances of succeeding are greatly enhanced.
So, how do you establish a habit? Why do we so often fail?
Firstly, a habit is more than a routine. A habit is something you pretty much do automatically. E.g You wake up in the morning and brush your teeth, etc, etc. You don’t really think about it. However, it is good habits that, over time, often bring the most benefits in our lives. For example, we have members at Ladies First Fitness that have done over 2000 (that’s 1000 hours) workouts! How have they managed that? Was it just sheer willpower? The answer is definitely, “not at all”. Will power is not enough to help you. It’s a combination of things:
Motivation
Primarily, motivation is the most important factor. Why do you want to improve your health and fitness? Maybe, you have been to the doctor and you have been told your blood pressure is too high or you are in danger of Type 2
Diabetes. This shock could be just the warning you need to make you seriously do something about it. Realistically however, you not only need a reason – and working out will most likely reduce blood pressure and mitigate the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes – but you need a plan! You need some simple, specific and easy steps to get started.
Time
Therefore, evaluate how much time you have available to dedicate to it. What is your budget? Remember, money can’t buy you love but it can provide the tools to improve your health! What is your health worth to you? “The price you pay for good health is a bargain compared to the price you pay for poor health”.
Write down your goal
Begin by writing down a specific goal: “I’m going to lose 3 pounds over the next three months” or something like that. Don’t make it an impossible goal, but something you actually believe you can attain. Put a realistic time scale on it. Why write it down? Writing down makes it more real and concrete and if you are brave enough to share it with your friends and family, it will help you actually carry it out – as most people hate losing face!
Steps?
Next, think detail. Think about the actual steps you need to make. It could be very simple: “I’m going to go for a half hour walk every day”. Then evaluate whether your action is going to achieve your goal. Remember though a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. A small step is a start – especially if that becomes a habit!
Scientists tell us that most of our habits (good or bad) are triggered – we see a doughnut in a shop window, we then crave it, buy it and receive the reward that that brings (good or bad!)
Giving yourself a reward for working out at the gym, is a way of helping to establish that habit. A reward will help (not a doughnut of course) but a reward will help when keeping you going when it’s hard. Eventually, you will find that a workout becomes a reward in itself as it releases ‘feel good hormones’ into the blood stream. Of course, at Ladies First Fitness you are surrounded by other women and coaches who help you keep going and celebrate your determination and increases the likelihood of you continuing.
What if you do fail? Don’t give up. Try again. Learn from your mistakes. Think about why you maybe stopped going to the gym. Think about what it if felt like when you were working out.
If you’re a previous member of ours why not give us a call on 023 92 520025 and get going again. We’d love to have you back we are here to help!
