Joy Fitness #2 - Making Fitness a Lifestyle

          What's going on everybody, today is my second blog entry and I'm going to talk a little bit about how to make exercise a lifestyle while attaining your goals. I'm sure you know someone who talks about getting down to a certain weight or reaching a specific goal, only to discontinue their program after a short time period. I certainly have done this a few times before, and I know quite a lot of friends who have done the same exact thing. Most of the time, people will be gung ho for a week or so, and then ultimately stop exercising completely. The most popular time of year this occurs is following New Years Eve. Goals are made but not achieved...Trying to do too much too soon is definitely a reason why an individual abandons their workout regime. However, there is a profound reason why this cycle occurs...that person isn't enjoying their exercise! Why run on the treadmill if you absolutely dread running? Think about your alternatives...anything that burns calories is considered physical activity. If your goal involves reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories per day through diet, and also burning an additional 300-500 calories through weight training and/or cardio, it doesn't matter what you do! This could be dancing, running, skipping...personally I enjoy curling milk gallons in the grocery store, but that's just me. Seriously though, a college instructor once told me that the most important thing in any exercise routine is actually enjoying what you do. I've run on treadmills for countless hours, only to be bored to death by the second week...I thought about what my professor said, and I love playing basketball. My cardio now consists of playing pick-up basketball games a few times per week, and when my legs are sore from that, I'll listen to music and do the elliptical on the other days...no more running on the treadmill for me! The main point here is to enjoy your exercise, and you'll be able to get a flat stomach and enjoy the process while doing so! Until the next blog, curl those milk gallons!