TIPS FOR KEEPING THAT NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

Guy Leahy

O.K., It's January, and you've made that New Year's Resolution to improve your health. Every year, thousands of people start fitness programs in order to lose weight, improve their stamina, increase their strength, or just to feel better. However, three to six months later, most have fallen by the wayside, their health goals stymied. Here are some tips to help you adhere to your New Year's fitness goals.

1. Select Reasonable Goals. For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds in two months, that's asking for trouble. Maximum recommended weight loss is 1-2 pounds/week. Weight loss in excess of this would require unhealthy levels of dieting and/or excessive exercise. As a result, your mental and physical well-being will decline, and you'll become a prime candidate for quitting. Be flexible with your goals, too. If you wanted to lose 20 pounds in three months, but lost 15 instead, don't look at it as a failure. After all, you still lost 15 pounds!

2. Start Slow and Steady. Don't go overboard with exercise the first week. When lifting weights, begin with 1-2 sets of each exercise, at low intensity (12-15 repetitions per set). When using an exercise machine, such as a stationary bike, begin at a low setting. Make sure to stretch and warm up well before beginning an exercise, and give yourself a day of rest between exercise sessions. If you take it slow, not only will you reduce your chances of over training and injury, but your strength and endurance will improve every session!

3. Exercise With a Partner. This is a great way to stick to your exercise schedule. Not only is there peer pressure to show up "I was here at 6:00 AM, where were *you*", but you can feed off your partner for motivation and support. In addition, just having someone else to talk to makes the workout more enjoyable!

4. Try a Variety of Exercises. Everybody's different. Some people like stationary bikes; others prefer treadmills or stair steppers. Find out what type of exercise you like by experimentation. Try the bike for a week, then check out the treadmill, and so on. You should find something you like!

5. Keep a Written Record of Your Progress. Keeping a regular exercise log provides a visual record of your
improvement. After a few weeks, if you see that you're running longer, or lifting more weight, this acts as a reinforcing agent. The log says "I must be on the right track"!

6. Don't Deprive Yourself. If you like chocolate, and you say to yourself "I'm never gonna eat chocolate again", that's tantamount to disaster, because you'll never be able to stick to that pledge. Similarly, if there's an occasional day where you don't feel 100%, skip the exercise. If you're going to go out to dinner and indulge a little, plan ahead. Make sure to exercise that day, and recognize that one day isn't going to make any difference in the long run. If you eat healthy, and exercise regularly, you can afford to take an occasional break from your regime and not feel guilty about it!