As I continue to focus on goals for 2021, today two fitness experts from the Leaders Connect and the Ann Arbor community present their tips on how to start and sustain a fitness program. They will also be the presenters at LeadersConnect Zoom this Friday at 8:30 AM. Sign up HERE.
Steve Angerman has lead training programs for walkers, runners, and marathoners for over 30 plus years as a co-founder and leader at Running Fit.
Britany Affolter-Caine, PhD, is the executive director of Michigan’s University Research Corridor and a director on the Michigan Strategic Fund board. A former collegiate track and field athlete at the Division III level, Brit has remained physically active, continuing to run and periodically coach young high jumpers. She has also pursued new activities and sports, from yoga and tennis to learning to play soccer at age 30. She has also taken on new challenges that are conducive to an aging athlete, such as the sport of triathlon. She has completed three half ironman events since the age of 40 and is training for her fourth. She also trains to be fit enough to hike among the Adirondack’s 46 high peaks.
Here are Britany’s and Steve’s suggestions for selecting and sustaining attainable fitness goals in 2021.
Please feel free to share this exceptional information with friends and family, who may want to join you.
-
Choose Realistic and Attainable Goals.
-
Write them down somewhere they will be visible to you.
-
Remember, you can adjust and increase them along the way.
-
Consider Frequency over Duration as you start your fitness journey.
-
Schedule the times for your specific activities and hold them as you would any appointment.
-
Set up for success by arranging apparel, equipment and accessories in advance.
-
Visualize yourself doing your activity and what the results will look like.
-
Keep some sort of fitness log or journal for accountability, motivation, and reference.
-
Give yourself small rewards as your progress through the steps.
-
Know the people in your life who can help and support you.
-
Regularly assess your progress and setbacks and adjust accordingly.
-
If life’s unexpected issues derail your schedule…if possible, reduce the time vs. skipping. 10 minutes is better than no minutes.
-
Be positive. If you fall behind and miss time, pick up where you left off the next day.
-
Know your “why”. Why do you want to achieve this goal?
-
Find a community (online, in-person or both) that shares your fitness interests and goals.
-
There is no such thing as a make-up day. AND that’s OKAY. If you miss Monday, you don’t double on Tuesday. You miss it and move on. Don’t mess up Tuesday. Adjustments are part of the plan.
-
The mental is as important as the physical.