Train for Something

3,2,1. Happy New Year! It’s customary to ask people during the first week of the New Year about their resolutions. What if just this once, we stuck to it? What if just this once, we chose something to motivate us when we waiver? What if just this once we committed and were able to look back six months or a year from now with pride? This article from a year or so ago is just as true today as it was the day I wrote it. As Body Zone’s members enter a new year with our new fitness floor equipped with new and state-of-the-art training turf, FreeMotion equipment and other pieces for endless possibilities, it’s our hope you all find the motivation to succeed. So, what’s your resolution?

So often the difference between success and failure is motivation. Simply put, motivation is the desire to do something. I’ve found my best periods of fitness come when I am training for something. It could be a 5K or similar endurance event. It could be as difficult as a triathlon or as simple as a trip to the beach. Whatever the reason, I am motivated by these end goals. My trips to the gym and diet are more regimented and disciplined during these periods. Here are a few quick tips to choosing your next motivating event:

1. Choose carefully, but choose now. Find an event that is right for you. In other words, if you haven’t ever run a 5K, don’t choose a marathon. Once you’ve found the right event, don’t hesitate. Sign up. The hardest part is throwing your name in the hat. Once you’ve registered, sit back and smile. Now the fun begins.

2. Tell everyone, you’re going to need support. Telling your friends and family will help you in two ways. First, you’ll be surprised at how interested they are in your progress and the ways they can help. Second, telling everyone is an insurance policy against you opting out. You won’t dare back out once the people you love are backing you.

3. Plan. Get a journal and plan everything from your workouts to your diet. If you’re like me, you hate tracking your diet. So don’t. Instead, make a list of foods you can and will eat and stick to it. Be flexible with your planning. Build in a few diet cheat days and a few workout IOU’s. I opt for setting up my training schedule on a Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc. format, rather than Monday – Sunday. This way if I miss a day, I won’t feel like I’m behind in my training.

4. Have fun. The true joy is in the journey. The training, the diet, the changes in your health are byproducts of your motivation. If you stop having fun, go back to step 3 and plan differently.

5. Enjoy the Moment. On the day of your race (or the day you finally break out that swimsuit at the beach), live it up. The hard part is behind you. Get some pictures and high fives. You deserve it.

6. Next, in the words of Tom Petty, “time to move on, time to get going.” Don’t bask too long. Once you’ve crossed the finish line and eaten your celebratory meal, it’s time to start thinking about your next adventure. Enjoy!

Morgan Fogelman is Director of Fitness at Body Zone Sports & Wellness Center, Wyomissing, PA