ARE YOUR RESOLUTIONS A FLOP? Try these 6 tactic's to make those goals a success!

Here are 6 tips to eliminate excuses and hopefully enable you to make exercise a long-term habit.

1. Don't put away your gear. Keep your workout clothes and shoes in plain site when you wake up so it's the first thing you think about. Visual cues are a wake-up call to your brain and will help keep exercise at the forefront of your mind!

2. Turn your commute into a workout. Run, Walk or Bike to work - good for you and the environment! If you take the Skytrain (Subway) or Bus get off several blocks earlier and go by foot the rest of the way. I used to work with a lady who did this everyday - ironically she made it to the office  not too long after me! I soon joined her and it was nice not to battle with crowds of people getting on/off the train. The fresh air was more effective at 'waking' me up than a cup of coffee that I would ultimately grab at the station.

 3. Invest in more workout clothes. Not having enough workout clothes can set you up with the excuse not to workout because your clothes are dirty. Look for basics that are comfy and show off your assets -- whether that's your shoulders or your abs -- so you feel good just suiting up. Having the right attire can boost you self confidence thus enabling you to push up the intensity of your workouts. For the ladies, get yourself a good supportive sports bra - there are a few great ones on the market that eliminate the 'uni-boob' - check out the tata tamer and the Hallelujah Bra. Trust me this piece of attire is worth its weight in gold....have you ever tried sprinting without one? Ouch

4. Log your workouts. Do this either online or manually in a notebook. This literally shows you how far you have come. Getting in the habit of chronicling your progress after your workout every day, for example using social media sites like Facebook or on our Website Community Page, keeps you stay accountable so that your friends know when you have exercise -- and when you've slacked off.

5. Involve your causes. Sign up for a race that requires you to look for donations dependent on your activity level. A client of mine goes the Grind for Kids during the summer - for each climb she would receive a dollar donation amount. If she didn't do the work she didn't make any extra money for her charity. Similarly you can create a goal, such as working out 3 times a week, if you miss a workout you must donate $10 towards a charity of  your choice - this will motivate you to keep exercise mandatory!

6. Make friends with class regulars. This is where CardioCore Fitness excels! Your trainer and fellow comrades keep you accountable while fostering friendships! If someone misses a class you know we are going to call you on it! Plus working out with this great group of people adds a social dynamic that is enjoyable - so why would you want to miss class?

What are your New Years Resolutions?

January can be a big motivator for most people to make fitness a top priority - is it for you?

Are you the type of person who sets goals only once a year? or do you make short and log term goals that you reassess every few months?

In the spirit of New Years  

SHARE YOUR #1 LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM GOAL 

along with your estimated time of completion and how you will achieve this goal. 

My goals, for example are listed at the bottom:
 

It's counter-productive to bite off more than you could chew, so make these goals realistic and gradual so you don't feel over whelmed. One of the best ways to not get overtaken by the task of living a healthier lifestyle is to take it week by week. 

Keep in mind it never too late to make a lifestyle change, regardless of age or the time of the year. 

Get organized and approach it with some structured plan of attack.  
For example, commit to 3 workouts per week by scheduling it as an important meeting that you cannot miss!

Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. Also, if you slip and cheat once in the day, that day is not lost, you can immediately get yourself back on track. However, continuing to cheat throughout the day you are really making it hard on yourself to make and maintain the proper behavior changes you need to make in order to succeed.  
Instead, of resolving to never eat out again, commit to eating healthy all week and reward yourself with one meal out on the weekends.

Stick to it. Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity, such as exercising, to become a habit, and six months for it to become part of your personality. Your new healthful habits will become second-nature in no time.

CardioCore is here all year long to support you in your fitness goals but if you are ready to make a change now, there is no time like the present.

 

Next Session begins January 10th!

Kim's Top Goals for 2011:

Short Term: to incorporate more yoga into my daily life to help with my flexibility and mobility in hopes to improve my running gait.
I will do this by activating my purchased Yoga pass and attend Twice a week. On the other days, I will take a few minutes in the morning to salute the sun and a few minutes after each bootcamp class to encourage my clients to improve their own flexibility.  
Completion date: ongoing, however, monthly I will reactivate my yoga pass and progress from beginner Hatha yoga to more intermediate and challenging forms such as Ashtanga (power)

Long Term: Complete a full marathon in under 5 hours.
I will do this by continuing to follow my training schedule set out for me by my running coach which started in November. My short term goals such as incorporating yoga will help support and nurture my long term goal.  
Completion date: May 1, 2011

In little as 9 Weeks YOU CAN Run a 1/2 MARATHON

 9 Week 1/2 Marathon Training

RACE DAY - Keep your head in the game

Niki Fitzgerald knows that success or failure in her next marathon will come down to the ABCs. To win the mental side of running races, the 34-year-old psychologist from Toronto always sets three different goals, ranging from the best-case scenario, her A goal, through to an acceptable finish, or her C goal. By doing so, she always keeps her head in the game.

“If you’re training for a race, or you’re actually in the race, and you’re really close to achieving your goals, you have to tell yourself: ‘Okay, legs, just hang on; we’re almost done,’ " she says.

To read more of Niki's Tips read the full article here on the Globe and Mail

How SMART are you? ... Your GOALS that is

HOW SMART ARE YOU?

Have you set GOALS that are 

SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC and TIMELY?

Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six "W" questions:

*Who:      Who is involved?
*What:     What do I want to accomplish?
*Where:    Identify a location.
*When:     Establish a time frame.
*Which:    Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why:      Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE:    A general goal would be, "Get in shape."

But a specific goal would say, "Attend Bootcamp 3 days a week for 3  months."

Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as...How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable - When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.

You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.

Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress. A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.

Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.

Timely - A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there's no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? "Someday" won't work. But if you anchor it within a time frame, "by June 1st", then you've set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.

T can also stand for Tangible - A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing. When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable.

 

If you need HELP with creating your own GOALS contact your Cardio-Core Trainer - 

we are here to help you SUCCEED!