Start Where You Are

I hope that you feel you are making progress toward your fitness goals, you are enjoying the journey, and you’ve learned and applied at least one new approach as a result of reading my regular musings.

My goal is to help you find (or confirm) your own path when it comes to exercising regularly. Note that a well-rounded fitness program will include cardiovascular, resistance, balance, and flexibility exercises, and I encourage you to build on your existing habits as you become more consistent with your exercise efforts. Start where you are and build from there, ask for support when you need it, and enjoy your journey.

Exercise is one of the best ways to positively impact your health, and I encourage you to find a fitness routine that works for you. Ultimately, you have the power (and responsibility) to take care of your health, and you are your own best advocate on this front.

Here are today’s three actionable tips:

1. Start where you are.
   — The first piece of this process is to be honest about where you are. Take a moment to think about how your actions align with your stated fitness goals. Are you following a plan or making choices in the moment? Are you making progress toward your goals or are you feeling stuck? (Or are you okay without having defined goals? That’s okay, too.)
   — The second piece of this is to make sure you are working at your level and being realistic when planning. Are you making changes that will help you to grow? Are the goals you are setting too challenging (or too easy)? What other commitments do you have that will help or hinder your progress?
2. Ask for support when you need it.
   — Support can take many forms. Support might mean getting together with a friend for a weekly exercise date or signing up for a fitness class or group training program. It might also mean working with a personal trainer, coach, physical therapist, and/or registered dietitian. The goal is to understand what works best for you and aim to make progress. Sometimes getting an outside perspective can help you when you are stuck.
3. Enjoy your journey.
   — You are more likely to repeat activities that you enjoy, so choose fitness activities that you enjoy whenever possible. As you improve your fitness level and explore a variety of activities, you’ll have a better idea of what types of exercise you enjoy. Also, sometimes you may not love the type of exercise, but you may love something else about the experience (e.g., spending time with friends, making progress toward a bigger goal, learning something new, etc.). Celebrate your fitness journey as well as your achievements.