If Not Now, When?

Fitness-After-50 - Thomas D. Manfredi, Publisher
tom@fitness-after-50.com
www.fitness-after-50.com
Jan 7, 2007; Vol. 4, Issue 1
Published the first Monday of every month

THIS ISSUE: Motivation and Exercise

Table of Contents:

1) Editor's Note
2) Food for Thought
3) Feature Article: Motivation and Exercise
4) Teleclasses
5) Question & Answer
6) Our Services

Editor's Note

Hi,

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone had a good holiday season and you're ready for a good, new year.

We made our annual trip back to Chicago for the holidays. It was great to see our kids and the grandchildren, our siblings, and some good friends. And overall,the weather wasn't too bad. Trying to spend quality time with that many people in such a short time is both challenging and tiring. It was good to get back home too.

Our plans for January are mainly to recuperate from the holidays. I am also trying to prepare for my foot surgery at the end of the month. It isn't a difficult procedure, but it will take me off my feet for probably a month or so. My aerobic exercises and teaching martial arts with crutches and/or a surgical shoe can be challenging, but I'll figure out some way to get through it.

On Saturday, January 5th, I sent our a special issue/announcement to all of my regular readers to let you know that my on line coaching services are now available at my coaching site. I hope you've had a chance to check it out. I know that using a coach or personal trainer may not be for everyone, but you should take a look at the site anyway. There is some good information there, and you can take advantage of the free fitness analysis with no obligation.

This month I'm writing an article dealing with motivation and exercise. As the new year starts, many of us are very enthusiastic about what we're going to do differently with exercise this year. The points I make may help you get there and stay on track.

Good luck, keep exercising, and remember – "If not now, when?".

Best Wishes,

Tom Manfredi


Send any comments you may have to tom@fitness-after-50.com

My site fitness-after-50.com

Food for Thought

Feature Article - Motivation and Exercise

Staying motivated to exercise and lose weight is tough. Why is it that exercise and dieting seem great until we have to actually do it? Maybe lack of motivation has something to do with it.

A dictionary definition of motivation is "that which gives purpose and direction to a behavior". It sounds like we need something to get us moving. For some it may come from a desire to compete. Others may have a goal of losing weight. Others might want to be healthy or live longer. Is that enough? Maybe not.

The problem is that many of us seem to think that motivation is something that will just come to us if we wait long enough. I think we might be better off if we realize that motivation is something that we create, not something we can just wait for.

Making the decision to exercise is important, but it's what you do to follow through that really makes the difference. Motivation is something we create for ourselves. Let's look at some of the things you can do to help create your own motivation.

First of all, you have to have something to work toward, a goal. It could be losing some weight, or completing a triathlon. Anything that gives you a reason to exercise will work. Whatever your goal, make sure it is broken down into short, easily measurable, segments. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds by summer, you may want to set a short term goal of losing 5 pounds this month.

Try to make it as easy as possible to work toward your goal. Prepare things ahead of time that will help you. If it's exercising, maybe you can lay out your exercise clothes the night before or put them in your gym bag so you can just pick it up and go. With dieting, make sure you keep lots of healthy snacks around and get rid of all the junk.

Try to discipline yourself to exercise at the same time everyday. Put it down in your daily planner just like any other important appointment. This helps build exercise into a routine or habit. Once something becomes part of a regular routine, it is much easier to just keep doing it. In fact, most habits are difficult to stop once they become part of our routine.

Having a routine is very helpful, but it's always good to allow for some leeway. To build in some flexibility, you should have a backup plan. If you can't exercise at your normal time, see about using some other free time. Or, think about some alternative kinds of exercise you could do in place of the regular stuff to give you a little variety and keep things fun. If you have to work later than normal one day, think about going out for a sightseeing walk at lunch time.

Remember that being healthy isn't a decision you make once, it's one you make every day. Make sure you stay committed to your goals by revisiting them daily. Write them down and read them over each morning.

Staying motivated requires practice. But, like most other things, motivation gets easier with practice. And, the more you practice, the better you'll get.

(c)2005 - 2008 Thomas D. Manfredi, MS

Teleclasses

I will be announcing upcoming teleclasses in this section in the future.

If you have a topic that you would be interested in hearing about in a teleclass, send an e-mail to teleclasses@fitness-after-50.com

Questions and Answers

They each have their strengths and weaknesses (no pun intended) when it comes to doing strength training. Machines are generally safer and easier to use once you know the correct way to use them, but most of them are designed to work a very specific muscle group. This may require you to use more machines to target all the muscles you need to work. The movement of free weights usually requires the use of more muscles around the target muscle you are trying to work, which helps create a more balanced overall muscle group. But free weights can be harder to use safely because you have to pay close attention to proper form or injuries can result.

And, don't forget, there are other things you can use to assist you with your weight training – exercise bands, your own body weight, even common household items like cans of food or milk jugs.


To get more information on various fitness and health issues, please go to my site – www.fitness-after-50.com


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If you have a fitness or nutrition question you would like me to consider answering here in the newsletter, just send your question, along with your first name and city, in an e-mail to quesandansw@fitness-after-50.com

Obviously, I can't answer every question submitted. I will choose one question each month to answer here.

About Our Services

Online fitness coach Tom Manfredi is the creator of the site "fitness-after-50". This site is designed with the mature adult in mind. There is a lot of information available on the site for anyone looking to start or restart a sensible exercise program. Learn more by going to www.fitness-after-50.com


Tom also offers on line fitness coaching for people interested in getting expert guidance with their fitness plans. Click here to check out Tom's coaching services and to get a free fitness analysis.

Benefits of Fitness Coaching Online:

I am now offering online fitness coaching to my readers. Below are some of the reasons you may want to check in with me about having me be your coach. I will only be accepting a limited number of people to coach so that I can give each of them the attention they deserve.