New Look for the New Year

We have talked before about New Years Resolutions, making goals and staying realistic. Now that I'm back from the Mouse House we can continue with that train of thought.

I noticed yesterday that the gym was packed. That is normal for the month of January but by this time next month it will be back to normal again. So many people take that initial step of joining the club and then when the soreness sets in and the results don't come quickly they lose interest, until the next year.

The best way to begin the quest for the "New You" is to take it in baby steps and small easily met goals. You will not be able to go from carrying a little extra fluff to looking like a ripped and super toned athlete in a month or to, it takes a while. But positive change is obtainable with a good progressive program.

You have to know where you are before you can figure out where you are going. Go weigh yourself, take a good look at your body in the mirror and get out the measuring tape. Measure your biceps, waist, chest, thighs and hips. Now you have a base line for where you are. Next is to decide where and what you need to change. Losing weight and inches around your middle is a result of proper eating and exercise. But if you want to add inches to your chest and arms, then you have to target these areas.

A good well rounded program must include your whole body going through it's full range of motion. So it's a good idea to do easy stretches and see how far you can comfortably go with each one. You will easily see from this where you are and where you need to go.

Once you have all your "where I am" stuff done it's time to take a realistic look at what you would like to accomplish. "I want a better body", or "I want to be in better shape", is not a good goal because it's not specific. "I want to lose 2 inches off my waist and 2 inches off my thighs" is a good starting goal because it's specific and measurable. Then you need a time limit like 2 months to reach your first goals.

Now decide how much time and when you can exercise. If you can do an hour 2 days a week or an hour 5 days a week then start scheduling that time for yourself and make your appointments. This is a minimum commitment. You can combine this with other healthy living ideas that we will discuss tomorrow.

Baby steps and easy goals will get you the healthy, strong body you want.

Thanks for reading.

Healthy Panda