Fitness Expert: Jason Johnson
Simple Steps to kick start your fitness for 2015
It’s that time for you to seriously make some progress on your fitness goals. Here is a 5 step formula to get you off to the right start no matter what your specific desires are. First and foremost, Have Fun!
This is very important! The enjoyment factor is a huge component of successful goal achievements. Before we get into the plan, let’s set the stage.
Does it take discipline for a kid to play at recess or for a surfer to get in the water and rip on the waves? You can’t keep these people from getting out there. If you are enjoying what you are doing on your way to the goal, you are much more likely to stay consistent. Staying on track is the name of the game to any positive outcome. I have seen people make tremendous progress once they followed their passion and applied it to fitness. Women who played basketball and danced their way to toned bodies, or men who trained for a mud run or 5k and ended up at their ideal body weight. There are so many ways to get to your goal, the key is to find the one that you enjoy the most and get to it!
There are countless ways to add fun to your training and movement. You can listen to jamming tunes, workout with a friend, join classes in anything from yoga, boot camp, and kickboxing to zumba or pole dancing. There are also endless groups out there that you can join to run, walk, hike, bike, do martial arts or play any of the recreational sports. The bottom line is to make it like recess was for you as a kid, you should be running to your training session and they should have to drag you back home because you “just want 10 more minutes.”
Step 1. Set A Goal
Can you imagine a soccer game with no goal? You would just have a bunch of people kicking a ball all over the place. I actually see the equivalent of this with many people in their fitness goals. They go this way and that way and wonder why they are not getting the results they want.
- First, choose a goal that is exciting and a little scary. It’s got to be get your energy up when you think about it and pull you towards it. Maybe you want to run a 5k, perhaps you want to fit in those “skinny jeans.” Whatever it is, make it an objective that gets your juices flowing.
- Second, it should also be a little scary, a little uncomfortable. As humans we love to have a little challenge in our lives. It’s what keeps this world evolving. So choose something that will allow you to stretch your abilities. Hey, why not do something you have never done before? This is the only way to grow and learn about yourself.
- Third, set it for 90 days from now. By giving yourself 3 months, you can see significant progress and it’s close enough to keep you inspired.
- Fourth, within those 90 days, set up mini goals. Perhaps you can choose monthly goals, broken down into weekly goals to get you all the way to your main goal in time. “All large accomplishments are nothing but a series of small steps taken in a consistent direction.”
Set up your plan to generate early and often victories to create momentum.
Many people start to fast and expect to much right out of the gate. However, the body can only adapt so much at a given time. Coax your body into your desire by gradually improving at a steady pace.
Step 2. Make A Plan
Would you take a road trip from Los Angeles, to New York without a plan? Would you just jump in your car and drive, with no direction? You could end up anywhere. Your goal needs an initial plan to get you started. You can go back to something that has worked well for you in the past or maybe you know someone who has accomplished your goal and you can ask them how they did it.
The internet is full of valuable resources to help you get where you want to go. A surefire way to get quality help is from someone who has helped many others get to where you want to go. Just remember to consider your source. You wouldn’t go to a plumber and ask them to perform a root canal on you. You wouldn’t ask me to fix your transmission. Not if you wanted to ever drive your car every again . 🙂
Stay tuned for the second part of the kick start plan. Just do this right now. Write down what you want to achieve within 90 days from now. Then right down your first step towards that goal. It might be to get with someone and chart out that plan. Whatever it is, JUST DO IT!
-Jason Johnson