If found an article at yahoo with tips in why people ditch their workout. The reason is we are not working out for the right reasons.
Why is it so hard to stick to a workout routine? Because we’re not working out for the right reasons, say researchers. Scientists at London Metropolitan University found that people stopped going to the gym after three to six months if they were doing it to lose weight or look better. Those who stuck with it: They had internal motivations, like less stress or liking the buzz they got from a cardio routine. Some other things to consider:
Find your favorites. Exercise is a lot less tedious if you actually like what you’re doing. And you can further stack the deck in your favor by choosing a routine that enhances your overall sense of well-being. So figure out what makes you zen, and do that. People always ask, “What exercise is the best? I answer – THE ONE YOU DO.
Double date. Team up with another person for at least one workout per week, says Thomas Plante, chair of the psychology department at Santa Clara University. His study found that people who exercised with a partner were calmer and had more energy than those who went it alone. Be careful not to follow in their footsteps. If they decide to not go to the gym, you need to go without them.
Get a trainer (aka a cheerleader). Not only will the encouragement from a pro help you feel more confident, people who workout with a trainer tent to try harder, persist longer, and stick to their program better, says Kathleen Martin Ginis, a professor of health and exercise at McMaster University in Ontario. If you can’t afford a trainer, there are plent of communities online to offer support like the forums here, or sites like sparkpeople.com
Change your view. Anytime you start to feel bored, switch up your routine: go to a different gym location, try a new class, switch from one cardio machine to another (like from a bike to an elliptical trainer). It doesn’t take much to spice things up.
Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper from the biggest loser are big fans of eating every 3 to 4 hours. Horge Cruise is all about eating every three hours. However people are taking this out of context. According to a new article by the Nutrition Divamore and more people are getting 25% of their calories from snacks. I mentioned this is a previous podcast that while I had taken my total calories (I’m aiming for 1800 currently) and multiplied that by .90 (1620) and divided that by 3 (for three meals) I get 540 calories a meal. That leaves 10% or 180 calories for snacks. I had mentioned that my meals were right on track (and in some cases under), however I was eating too many snacks (grapes, raisins, protein bars, etc). Why? Because I was “supposed to.”
Many times I was eating food as it “was time” to eat. Looking back I need to come back to calories in vs calories out. I understand that if I go 6 hours without eating I am more likely to just go crazy and eat everything (good or bad). I think my plan going forward will be to ask myself, “Am I hungry” before adding a snack to my calories for the day. When I find myself strapped for cash, or doing a job where I can’t eat on the job, I am amazed at how long I can go without eating (and never even notice). This leads me to believe that a majority of my eating is emotional, and its boredom. It’s this kind of “Stepping outside of yourself” that really helps you decide what eating plan will work for you.
Today I started off with my typical raisin bran at 7 am. For whatever reason at 10:15 I was getting a little hungry so I ate a banana. I did not eat a muffin (a great name for a cup cake with no icing), or some other large item. This will hold me till 12 or 1ish when I go to lunch.
One of the keys that I am taking time to lear again, is really focus on how I feel when I am truly hungry. This way I can weight until I am ruly hungry to eat.
If you are hungry every three to four hours eat a small snack. If you can go longer without going into a frenzy? Do it. Most people do not have hypoglycemia, so stick the plan of eating when you are hungry (except for breakfast, always do breakfast). Be careful to make sure your snacks do not turn into meals, and continue to exercise on a regular basis. That’s what I’m putting into place.
This is just my opinion, and I urge you to work with your local helath professional.
Times are very tough. So many people want to give in because they can’t afford a gym membership. You don’t need a gym membership. You can get videos from the library for free (which stops things from getting boring), and there are tons of videos online. For example here is a video featuring Jillian Michaels walking Meghan Murphy from Self magazine through a workout.
There are plenty of excuses (not reasons) out there. Don’t let “I can’t afford it” be one of them. A gym membership might be $35 a month. I purchased the Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVD for $8 bucks BRAND NEW. This thing KICKS MY BUTT. If you got to McDonald’s twice you going to put out more than $8 EASY. So do the right thing, admit that you CAN afford to invest in yourself. After all if you don’t pay for it now, you will definitely pay for it later in medical bills.
I was listening to your podcast while on the Elliptical this AM,and wanted to thank you for the tip on the Gymboss. I found the link on your site and ordered one. I'm 22 days into my Body-for-LIFE challenge and have not found a really good way to signal myself that it's time to ratchet it up a notch. This little device looks like just the ticket for a pretty cheap price.
Thanks for the podcast - I enjoy it and appreciate your honesty and sharing the journey.
Sincerely,
Mindy
www.minthickandthin.com
— Mindy
Why is it so hard to stick to a workout routine? Because we’re not working out for the right reasons, say researchers. Scientists at London Metropolitan University found that people stopped going to the gym after three to six months if they were doing it to lose weight or look better. Those who stuck with it: They had internal motivations, like less stress or liking the buzz they got from a cardio routine. Some other things to consider:
