5 Habits of Successful Exercisers

By Wendy Grace, Mission Fitness Center, 2451 Mission Street, San Marino 91108

The New Year is sneaking up and, once again, everyone will be making
health resolutions.  Why is it that, for most people, the best
intentions to start exercising regularly last only a few weeks?
Emulating  the habits of people who are consistent exercisers can help
you keep your resolution.  Here are some of the things they do right:

1.      Successful exercisers are nutritionally educated. Did you
know that 80% of weight loss results has to do with diet, and exercise
is only 20%? If you do not know what you are supposed to eat or how
much, you will continue to spin your wheels.  Play it smart this time
around and hire a nutritionist, join a program like Weight Watchers or
buy a copy of “Nutrition For Dummies,” an excellent book. Once you’re
educated about food consumption and nutrition values, you will find it
much easier to lose weight.

2.      Successful exercisers hire a personal trainer.  How can you
train properly at your new gym if you don’t know how?  Choosing and
using the right equipment should not be a guessing game – if it is,
you may not see results, and you might even injure yourself.  If
finances are an issue, hire a trainer for at least nine sessions -
three times a week for three weeks. It’s a great way to learn a
routine. Explain to your trainer that you want to learn the basics so
you can train on your own.  You can go back to the trainer for
“booster” sessions every couple of months.

3.      Successful exercisers calendar their workouts. Make workout
time a calendar priority, around which everything else revolves. Start
with two to three times a week only.  If you set yourself up to attend
the gym every day, you are more likely to fail. Exercising every other
day is more realistic, less stressful, and may have just as many
health benefits as working out daily.

4.      Successful exercisers find a partner. You are far more likely
to show up to the gym if someone is waiting for you.  Ask friends or
co-workers if they would like to start working out with you. Try
different types of classes to see which is the most fun, and then
commit together.

5.      Successful exercisers don’t get discouraged.  Once you begin
an exercise program, don’t expect miracles. We see so many misleading
infomercials and television shows about stunning results in short
periods of time. This is so discouraging to people in the real world.
You must treat exercise as a lifestyle habit, like brushing your
teeth.  Just do it. Take a picture of yourself every three months and
you will see small changes over time. The more consistent you are, the
better the results.