Creating Good Habits and Ditching the Bad

Working in the fitness industry for many years as a fitness professional I have seen a lot of people who want to get fitter and achieve their fitness goals. A lot succeeded in their goals but an equally large percent failed. Why was this? A lot of it is people like the idea of becoming more healthy and fit but when they start to move in that direction and create a new habit, obstacles can get in the way and it can get too much and they give up. When they than later try again they already have a negative experience of giving up before and they therefore have a higher chance of failing again if they don't get their mind right. Anyone can say they will do something but to put it into practice is much harder to do. Change is hard but it will be worth it in the end. Too many people sit there and say they would love to lose weight or build more muscle but than remain sitting on the sofa, only getting up occasionally to get some more food from the fridge. In order to make changes you must do more than just wish you must do. How? As I have said in previous blogs do not attempt to change everything in one go. Start with taking a 15 minute walk after lunch or dinner, or give up smoking first or cut out all fizzy drinks and sweets from your diet. Once you've got into that good habit and you do it without even thinking, move on to another change. Another tip I give to my clients is book out certain days to exercise and stick to them no matter what. For example if you have Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings for gym, stick it in your diary and on a wall calendar and if a friend or family member suggests to do something during those times, then let them know you can't because that's your 'gym time.' Obviously there will be times when there will be a family crisis or you're ill and you will have to cancel but ensure you don't cancel because you 'just don't feel like it today' or need to go shopping instead! If you keep doing that you're be creating a bad habit and you're just stop going. Set yourself a goal, that can be run a 5 K race or go to the gym twice a week for the next 12 weeks. I set myself a goal at the start of this year, that I will do a weekly blog, rather then do it when I felt like it. It's now late March and I'm still sticking to it. I'm only succeeding because I made a conscious effort and didn't let anything get in my way. Change your environment, if you are surrounded by those who are eating crap and don't exercise and criticise those that do, maybe you should move towards those who have the same goals as you and can support you better. Once you get into a good habit and you do it without thinking (takes at least 12 weeks) you stand more chance of sticking to it, even if things try to get in the way. Studies have shown that under pressure you will do more of the habit, whether good or bad. Therefore if you eat junk food and sweets, under pressure you will do more of this but if you follow a healthy diet you will still stick to the good habit and continue to eat healthy and be less inclined to eat junk! Similarly those that exercised regularly, increased their exercise when pressure increased in their lives. So next time you wish for something, start to take responsibility for it and move towards creating a good habit and breaking the bad ones. Remember time is constant in one year's time you can still be sitting on that sofa doing nothing and dreaming of getting into that new outfit or you can be the one who has got off their arse and set themselves a realistic goal, stuck to it no matter what, lost the weight and is making their dream a reality. What one do you want to be in a year's time?