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Get Active Magazine, Summer 2008
Help! I've Lost My Drive
I’m lacking the motivation I once had to work out. I’m starting to dread exercise. As a result, I’ve hit a plateau. What do you recommend?
The key to fitness is variety. If you continue to do the same thing every workout, your body learns to adapt to the demands and doesn’t respond past a certain point. But, if you “surprise” your body by participating in a variety of activities/exercises on a weekly basis, transformation is bound to occur.
You need to demand more of yourself, either by increasing the intensity, frequency or duration of your training. For instance, if you’re doing a strength circuit routine, change your program at least every 4–6 weeks in order to continue to increase muscle mass and lose body fat.
Just remember to mix it up! Create a weekly workout schedule filled with diversity so your body is constantly forced to respond to new movements, loads and levels of difficulties. Be creative! Incorporate your interests into your workout so you actually look forward to exercising. If you don’t already use a personal trainer, try a couple of sessions and discover new exercises you may not have done before.
Just as the key to fitness is variety, so is accountability, and making a plan is the key to motivation and discipline. There are times when we just don’t feel like working out, and the couch is much more appealing!
In addition to scheduling a session with a trainer, invite a friend, or find a workout partner to join you in order to create accountability. Whether it is going for a run or to a group class, someone else is counting on you to show up, and this will push you to follow through.
Why is drinking water so important for overall health and fitness?
Water is the largest component of the human body, making up about 70%–75% of the body’s total weight. For this reason, water participates in almost every physiological process in the body. It’s especially important in the body’s temperature regulation through perspiration and evaporation.
Proper water intake not only makes you feel better throughout your regular daily routine, it also improves your long- term health, increases weight loss and/or management, enhances physical performance during exercise by reducing muscle cramping and early fatigue, and promotes the environment for your body to look its best.
The minimum recommendation for the average person is at least 64 oz (eight glasses) of water per day. If you are physically active, over your ideal weight, or live in a hot climate, you need at least 16– 24 oz more per day.
TIPS FOR MAXIMUM HYDRATION :: Always carry water with you wherever you go.
:: Know the warning signs of dehydration: fatigue, light-headedness, dry mouth, dark/minimal urine, muscle cramps, headaches, low back pain, water retention, irritability, heartburn and stomachache.
:: Spread your water intake throughout the day and evening.
:: Replace fluid and sodium losses to achieve complete rehydration.
:: Avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, both of which have diuretic properties.
Expert Tip
:: Make a Plan! At the beginning of each week, it is crucial to incorporate fitness into your planner or Blackberry. Scheduling workout times in advance will increase your chances of actually following through with exercise.
Sonya Roosendaal, Exercise Science, is a premier personal trainer based out of West Los Angeles, as well as an instructor at Burn60, a cardio/strength studio in Brentwood, Calif. Her Web site is www.skrfitness.com |
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