Exercise-For Weight Loss

The New Year is almost here, and with it comes the opportunity for each of us to examine where we have been, where we are, and most importantly where we are going as we head into the future. After some reflection on our lives, many of us use the New Year as a chance to wipe the slate clean. We make a resolution to do something different or new with our life.

By far the number one New Year’s resolution most people make is to drop a few pounds and get into shape. Ask any health club manager and they will tell you stories about the mad rush of people eager to join their club. People full of enthusiasm that push their bodies to the limit hoping for instant results and magical physique transformations. More often than not, this enthusiastic crowd will return to their old habits by spring. Why? Because they didn’t have a plan. When life throws you a curveball, it’s easy to get knocked off course. However, with a well laid plan and realistic goals, it is much easier to knock life’s curveballs out of the park and successfully follow through on your New Year’s resolution.

Before you begin your exercise and weight loss program, you need to determine what your goals are. The most effective method that I have used for this is called the SMART goal setting method. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timetable.

Specific – When you think about setting a goal, be as specific as possible. The more specific you can be the better. If you want to lose weight, how many pounds are you going to lose? If you’re going to go to the gym, how many days per week will you go? How long will you exercise while there? At what intensity will you exercise? (Use a heart rate monitor for cardio; use a stop watch to measure rest periods, work intervals, etc.)

Measurable – Have you ever heard the saying “you can’t manage what you don’t measure”? You must measure your progress if you want to reach your goals. When you exercise keep a log book to record each training session. Write down the distance and speed with which you completed your cardio session. If you use a heart rate monitor, record those readings as well. When weight training, record weight, reps, sets and type of exercises performed during your training. Once a week weigh yourself and record that as well. As you build a log over time, you’ll begin to see patterns develop and progress being made. It feels good to look back over months of hard work and see in black and white how far you’ve come. Remember, the numbers don’t lie.

Attainable – Are your goals attainable? Be honest with yourself. If you need to lose 25lbs, but in your mind you just don’t feel like you can do it, then start with a lower goal like 10lbs. Remember, a goal should take you out of your comfort zone; However, you should still feel confident that it’s attainable.

Realistic – Let’s say that you’ve decided to lose 10ibs; However, you want to do it in two weeks. Or maybe your goal is to spend an hour and a half in the gym six days a week even though you have two young children, a husband and a full time job. These goals are not realistic. A better option would be to lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks or go to the gym for an hour four times a week. Again, be honest with yourself and set realistic expectations.

Timetable – A goal is not a goal unless there is a timetable attached to it. Setting a timetable provides you with accountability and a sense of urgency. It also allows you to continue setting new goals. Your journey never ends when you reach the date you’ve set for achieving your goal. You should continue setting new goals to build upon the foundation you’ve laid.

If you follow the SMART method for goal setting, you can go into the New Year with confidence that you’ll finally succeed at accomplishing your New Year’s resolution!

To Your Success,

Lee Daugherty