Imagine Your Doctor Promising These Results…

In about three months you are going to start to notice differences in the way you think and feel.  You’ll wake up and look in the mirror and notice that you can see your triceps, quads, and yes, your butt seems a bit perkier.

• You will have more energy
• You will be stronger
• You will sleep better
• You will get more compliments on your appearance
• Your body will crave healthy food
• Your mind will change, what seemed like impossible tasks 90 days ago, are now challenges you wish to overcome.
• You will fit into clothes you haven’t tried on in years
• You will be more flexible

Oh, I forgot to mention… You will reduce your risk of chronic disease and ailments, your blood pressure will come down, your balance and coordination will improve, your self-esteem will go up, and you will love yourself a bit more each day you take your prescription.

You might think your doctor is crazy, even a quack, because you know there are no pills or shots that are going to be able to produce these types of results.  You may even think about changing doctors because if this was true, everyone would surely be taking this medicine.

What is he prescribing you?  Exercise and Proper Diet

Thousands of doctors write this same prescription each day for hundreds of various conditions.  Yet, for some reason, most patients don’t follow the doctors orders, even though he has promised you everything you have ever hoped for.  Actually, we know the reason why people don’t listen to their doctors.  The prescription sounds difficult to fill, you don’t know how to get started, you are intimidated, you feel helpless, and many other reasons that you find out later are simply excuses.

The Balance staff wants to help you overcome these mental blocks that keep you from improving your health, appearance, and state of mind.  Here are a number of tips for people starting an exercise program.

Start Slow and Know Your Fitness Assessment Level

Many people fail their fitness goals and objectives because they come out of the gates to hard, causing injury, unbearable soreness, and unrealistic expectations.  The best way to make certain these things don’t happen is to give yourself a proper assessment prior to going from 0 to 100.  Below are 5 tests you should write down and monitor throughout your program.  This way you have a baseline and can properly measure your improvements over time without taking on to much to fast.  These tests should be properly monitored by a Balance trainer if you are unsure how to measure the results, perform the exercise, or recognize improvements.

• Pulse: Measure your pulse prior to and following a 1 mile walk.  Let a trainer help you understand the results, what numbers you are shooting for and what numbers could be dangerous.
• Time for Distance: If you are truly just getting started for the first time or getting back into it in a very long while, measure the time it takes you to walk 1 mile. Don’t make it so easy you don’t break a sweat, but you also don’t want to start your mile running at a pace you can’t maintain.
• How Many Can You Do?: Measure the number of sit-ups or pushups (standard or modified, whichever seems in line with your fitness level) without stopping.  We are not measuring how many you can do in a minute, we want to know how many you can do before failure.
• Flexibility: Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.  Reach towards your toes with your arms extended and reach as far as possible (with your hands towards your toes).  If you can, have someone take a picture so you can see for yourself.  If that isn’t possible, make a mental note.
• Measure Your Waist: Using a soft measuring tape (sewing or tailor measuring tape), measure the circumference of your waist just above your hipbones.  .
• Body Composition: Balance Gym provides an initial fitness evaluation for all our members.  Take advantage of this assessment and have your Body Mass Index (BMI) and other composition tests done.

Design a Fitness Program Based on Your Initial Assessment

Once you have completed your initial evaluation, you’ll want to create a fitness program that is inline with your baselines and your goals.  Your first program may seem easy, or even stupid, because it seems so simple, but we promise you it is not.  To make certain your program is well suited for your needs and skill levels, ask a Balance trainer to help you.  They have the experience and know-how to gauge your baseline levels and prescribe exercises that help reach your goals without over doing it.

• Write down your goals: In a previous blog we sourced a Harvard study that concluded people who wrote down their goals were 10 times more likely to achieve them over people who didn’t write down their goals or had no goals at all.
• Find the Time: Everyone is busy, we understand that.  However, people make time for what is important to them.  Exercise may not seem important the first three months when it is the most challenging, but once you get that first compliment, step on the scale with a smile, fit into the jeans you love, or maybe even see one of your abs coming alive, you’ll notice that the time  you carve out for training seems easier and easier to obtain.
• Start Slow: Your initial program should start slow.  Your body is not ready for intense exercise and getting overly sore or injured could ruin all of your good intentions.
• Match Exercises to Your Goals: If you are interested in losing weight, then make certain your exercises and training methods are meant to do so.  This is true for every fitness goal.  Make certain you are doing the right exercises to get the results you are seeking.
• Mix it Up: Have you ever felt like you were in a rut, doing the same things over and over each day, seeing minimal results in your efforts?  Well the same can happen with exercise routines.  It is so important to make sure you mix up your workouts.  Change the exercises you do, swap out cardio for strength training a few days a week, listen to different music, do whatever it takes to mix up your exercise routine to keep it fresh and interesting.  Your body will respond very well to change and your results will come faster.
• Cheat Day (Recovery Day): Actually recovery days are not cheat days at all.  In fact, recovery is an essential part of your exercise program.  Your body needs time to heal in between workouts, and you need to listen to it.  When your body is too sore or tired to work out, take the day off.  However, don’t mistake recovery for laziness, and don’t use a recovery day because you are feeling lazy!

Get Proper Gear and Equipment

One of the best things about joining Balance Gym is you will always have the right equipment and knowledgeable people there to assist you.  However, there are a few things you should get on your own.

• Proper Footwear: Depending on the type of exercise you plan on doing can affect the type of sneakers you buy.  Ask the workers or trainers for assistance in finding comfortable and affordable footwear.
• Comfortable Clothes: You don’t need to slip into yoga pants your first day.  Make sure your clothes are comfortable and most of all you feel comfortable in them.
• Headphones: Get headphones or ear buds that fit and stay on your head when exercising. Many people find that listening to music, audio books, or learning tools make your workouts better and go faster.
• Progress Apps: There are some great apps out there to help you monitor your progress without having to carry around a legal notepad and #2 pencil.  You can find apps to monitor runs, track your strength gains and measure terrain changes in your bike rides or run / walks.

Get Started

When you feel you have all of the tools you need to succeed, it betters your chances of it happening.  Take these tips seriously, they will help you change your life and fill that prescription of exercise and wellness.  We can’t wait to see you at one of Balance’s four convenient locations.  Don’t be scared to ask questions!  Our trainers are there for a reason, YOU!  Best of luck!