Happy new year! It’s time to take inventory of your health-and-fitness goals, suggests Temple University psychologist Frank Farley, Ph.D. Support and accountability are key, says Farley. Make a list of your goals. Then share your list with your family, a close friend or your doctor so you have support system in place.
Putting Health First
That support can help you overcome some common fitness pitfalls. “We get busy driving, picking up kids, worrying about keeping track of everything but ourselves,” says Lynn Fischer, a certified fitness trainer and author of Quick and Healthy Cooking for Dummies. “But your number-one priority has to be your own health,” she adds. “It’s true what the airline flight attendants say: You must first put the mask over your own mouth and nose, and then you can help your child. Decide right now to make your health a top priority. You’ll be amazed at how supportive your family can be.”
As you start on your new plan, work around your likes and dislikes, suggests Fischer, who hates to exercise at night. “I work out at 6 a.m.,” she says. “By 7:30, I’m home and I’ve already accomplished the toughest part of my day.” And because she has a sweet tooth, Fischer doesn’t deny herself the occasional piece of chocolate that helps her say no to other temptations. “But I don’t make it a habit,” she says.
No Quitting Allowed
It’s common, when the weight has piled on a bit over the years and your stamina has gone the way of your waistline, to feel like you’ve passed the point of no return. Nonsense. “If you’re down in a hole, so what?” says Fischer. Just face the fact that, as with any change, it will take a lot of effort for the first two to three weeks. After that, your new healthy routines will become a habit, like brushing your teeth. Just get your doctor’s OK before starting your new plan.
Pretty soon, getting away from your desk or from that pile of laundry and out into the crisp winter air for a blood-pumping daily stroll might just become your favorite part of the day. Because after you make fitness a habit, the exercise itself becomes the thing you look forward to when you have all those other chores to do. Now that seems like a great way to kick off the new year.
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, January 2014
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