2010 Healthy Resolutions

by Anna Fong

Hello everyone … Happy 2010!

The New Year is here, and what better time to focus and to incorporate positive changes in our lives. One of my goals this year is to develop and follow through on an achievable weight loss/ fitness program. My family is very high risk for heart disease as I have a sister who had a triple heart bypass at the age of 49, and I lost a brother to a massive heart attack when he was 51 years old.

I have joined gyms, taken exercise classes by myself, and have not been very successful in the past. I would come up with every excuse imaginable to avoid exercising.

This year a friend and I have decided to partner up to become diet/exercise buddies. Having someone there to hold you accountable for your actions (or lack of) and to also encourage and to challenge each other, has proven to be successful.

We plan on incorporating the following 10 recommendations to achieve our goal:

1. Do activities you like


First, find an activity that you truly feel is fun (or at least most bearable). It doesn’t matter if it’s country line dancing, aerobic classes, or running.

2. Integrate fitness into your schedule


Make a set schedule so that you automatically know it’s the time and day for your workout. By leaving this to chance, it’s easy to put it off and say “I’ll do it later.” Later either never comes or is interrupted by life.

3. Use the buddy system for motivation and support


Find a workout buddy to exercise with you. On days you don’t feel like working out, your buddy will help motivate you. And, on days your buddy is down, you’ll repay the favor.

4. Stay off the weighing scales!


Weighing in everyday can be discouraging. Especially since fat usually drops or increases all at once after several days. Stay off the scale except to monitor weekly progress.

5. Start off slowly on your workout program


Doing too much too soon only leads to sore muscles and an unwillingness to do the same routine again. When you do too much your muscles will have a hard time performing the next time. If your workout is making you sore, you’re doing more than you should. Back off and cover less distance, workout for a shorter time, or use less weight. Gradually add more over time.

6. Remember: You’re unique


Everyone is different. Comparing yourself to others is a dangerous pitfall. Stress follows and before you know it you may feel discouraged, hopeless, and depressed when in fact you may be doing great. Nothing is more important than where you are at now. Improving and challenging yourself from your starting point is vital to long-term improvement.

7. Don’t work too hard - go at your own pace


During any strenuous exercise it’s important to work at your own pace. That means at a level at which you can still breathe and talk. When you get out of breath it’s a signal you’re working too hard. Instead of stopping, reduce the intensity to an amount that’s more comfortable. You’ll find yourself able to exercise for a longer period of time and enjoy it more.

8. Reschedule missed workouts


One workout leads to another, but a missed workout shouldn’t lead to another missed workout. Things in life happen that interrupt those with even the best intentions. If a workout gets the nix, schedule in a replacement as soon as possible. If that’s not feasible forget it. Do a little extra next time and let it go. It’s not the workouts you miss that count, it’s the ones you complete.

9. Make fitness a habit


Avoid a mental duel each time you get ready to exercise. Considering your routine as an option – should I or shouldn’t I – is treacherous. You wouldn’t consider brushing your teeth as an option, or taking a bath. Working out needs to be thought of as just another habit. Something you do without thinking or talking yourself in/out of.

10. Have a plan of what you want to achieve from your workout


Regardless of whether you want to lose weight, tone up, or just get healthy, you need to have a plan. One that is effective.


We all would like to be in a state of good health as we approach our senior years and what better time than to start now…

… our first goal is "to lose 10 pounds by March 2010"…


For more information on heart disease: http://www.americanheart.org/

Labels: exercise, fitness, New Years resolutions, weight loss

posted @ 11:39 PM
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