Webmomz Self Care, Balance, and Personal Development for Moms

I know that it can be a struggle to start a new exercise program! In fact, most people don't! Between work, car pools, shopping, the bills, school events, and all of your other obligations, you are bogged down already! Who isn't? Only about 25% of the population exercises regularly--and even that estimation is overly optimistic since fitting the criteria means you only have to exercise 1-2 times a week!

Despite the excuses, you are likely aware of at least some of the benefits of exercising. From feeling and sleeping better, to looking younger and thinner, to improved cardiovascular health and diminished joint pain, you have heard it all! In fact, you may have heard about people who are able to go off of diabetes or cholesterol medications simply by exercising and healthy eating! That all makes sense to you......you just don't see how you can fit it in!

But then all of your beliefs about low energy and lack of time as reputable excuses for not exercising are defied; you meet that woman who seems to do it ALL, including exercise at least 4 times per week! (If this is you, congratulations!! Keep it up!) How does she manage?

Believe it or not, it IS possible if you just exercise SMART! Following, are some tips on exercising smart that can help you to join that 25% of regular exercisers (and let's up the ante by increasing the goal from 2 to 4 times per week).

Determine what you want to accomplish, write your goals down, and establish your starting points. If you want to lose bodyfat, have your body fat measured. If the goal is preventing the heart disease that runs in your family, schedule a physical with your doctor to get your baseline blood panel and cardio-respiratory tests taken. Or simply pull those tight jeans out of the closet and put them on every week! Find a way to measure your success.
Now that you have goals, find out what kind of program is most effective to reach those goals. There are lots of ways to get fit, but you will want to determine the best way for you. You want to aim at the bulls-eye, not the wall behind the dartboard!
Set yourself up for success! Determine what materials and resources you need and get them. You do not need a lot of fancy equipment to get a great workout! Haven't you ever seen a personal trainer working with a client using only a ball, mat and bands?
Schedule appointments! If your program includes exercising 4 to 5 times a week, take your calendar out and schedule those times in for the next month-- and do not compromise!!
Exercise efficiently! Incorporate cardio elements into your strength training, use more than one muscle group at a time, and incorporate core training into the majority of your exercises. (Be sure you understand proper technique and structure of workout before you begin.)
Enjoy Yourself! There is more than one means to an end--contrary to the claims of cookie cutter programs. It is important that you enjoy the process so that the results are more gratifying. You will also be less likely to drop out.
Establish a habit. You will not become a regular exerciser overnight. In fact, theories of behavior change say that it takes 6 months of practice before your risk of relapse decreases. So, be patient and diligent!! This is an investment for life, you know!

You may have noticed, many of the points include preplanning and getting yourself ready to start. Many people drop out of their fitness programs because they went into them blindly without setting goals, planning their workouts, and finding an activity that they like. If you do all of those things, I guarantee that you will see results!