Fitness Q & A
We are very excited to welcome Meg Root, an ACE certified Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist with over 25 years in the fitness and spa industry. Each month she will join us at Glen Ivy Spa to Blog inspiration and advice, give weekly fitness tips on Facebook, and answer your fitness questions. If you have a question, please leave it in the comment box below…
QUESTION from Lucy:
I have joined countless gyms over the years, last year I tried the Y cuz it was an inexpensive option. I always go for the first while but then drop off in March …. any insight on how to get past that hump? My favorite excuse is my busy schedule! Help.
ANSWER from Meg
Hi Lucy,
I love that question, and for a couple of reasons. First, I bet there are dozens of people out there with the same exact issue. It also happens to be at the key “hump’ to get over in your quest to become a regular exerciser. I could blog and blog and blog about the solutions, but I will keep it to a few specific suggestions:
First, make sure your gym schedule is realistic for the current demands of your life. How many days can you realistically commit to getting to the gym? Three? Now, make what I call a “success sandwich.” For the next month (think short term first!), you will get to the gym two to four times per week. During a busy week, you may only make it two–give yourself full credit. In a super motivated week, you may get there four times–extra credit! Write it down on a calendar where you can see and acknowledge your progress. With a written record, you can reassess your goal at the end of the month.
Lucy, you sound so committed to your work! Would you ever miss a work appointment? My guess is no! So, make an appointment with yourself, put it on your official calendar, and then respect yourself enough to keep it. I once heard an journalist ask a busy female executive what happens to her exercise program when her job becomes overly demanding? She replied, “It goes to the TOP of my list!” Anyone committed to changing their lifestyle for the better has to put themselves at the head of the line!
The fact that you took the time to reach out for solutions tells me that you have a strong desire to do things differently this time around. Keep it up and acknowledge that the bumps ahead are not failures, but opportunities to persevere and develop lasting solutions. Stay on the path and let us know how your are doing. We are on your team!
Meg
I couldn’t find the 10 minute essential workout…was I looking in the wrong place????
Hi HL,
We will be sharing the 10 minute workout next week, thanks for your patience!