... CONTINUED FROM COVER
If someone sticks to their exercise routine for a whole year (adding incremental challenge), chances are they will be happy with the result AND the results will stick. Even better, sticking to a routine for longer gives you more time to develop positive habits. Let’s say your goal is to go on a walk every day. First, you have to make sure you do it every day for, say, 15 minutes. After about two weeks, you’ll get in the rhythm of walking 15 minutes. Then you start walking longer. Once you develop the rhythm, it starts to become a habit. You get that itch to go for a walk when it’s time. However, if you push yourself too hard — like walking 60 minutes right out of the gate — you may end up wearing yourself out and be much more likely to give up on this fitness goal. Work your way up to that 60 minutes. Give yourself time to develop positive habits. You won’t find instant gratification when it comes to real self- improvement, but you will find permanent change for the better. -Maureen Madden
change overnight. The muscles down to the cellular level have to adapt to changing circumstances. Most people start to see initial changes about two weeks after starting a new exercise program. Of course, the more time you give yourself, the better. When you set a big fitness goal for yourself, give yourself an entire year to hit that big goal. This applies to anything from running a marathon to losing weight.
It might not seem like much, but that kind of progress is huge. Taking objective measurements helps put these kinds of things into perspective. At the same time, it’s important to set goals. Just make them realistic, as well as incremental. The body doesn’t adapt to change quickly. Jumping into a new and strenuous exercise routine has the potential to do more harm than good. More than that, your body won’t
EXERCISE OF THE MONTH Single Leg Balancing
Why: Your muscles, joints, eyes, inner ear, and brain are constantly communicating to keep you upright and negotiating the world safely. It is best to keep this system tuned up and performing optimally to prevent unnecessary falls or even improve sports performance. How: Stand on your right leg (near a chair or wall … just in case) and swing your left leg around in random patters. Start with small motions and increase the challenge by making the motions bigger and/or quicker. Do 30 seconds on each leg twice per day. Want to up the challenge? Close your eyes and try the same thing. Keep it up daily, as studies show balance can always improve with practice!
2
425-497-8180 | WWW.PTPRO.BIZ
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online