Phyllis Strand NASM CPT, Wellness Coach

30 minutes of exercise motivation self help whole 30

Building Momentum

When you are trying to get into a long-term health and fitness plan, it is not right to start drastically all at once. Start slow and then build up the momentum. That’s the way it will work for the long term.

The key is to start slow. When you start your health and fitness program at a slow pace, you are much more comfortable with it and you get used to it better.

So, when you are embarking on your fitness regimen, don’t commit the mistake of taking long strides right from the start. This is especially important when you are going to do things your own way. For example, if you are going to go jogging each morning, don’t plan on jogging for an hour right from the first day. Start slow – maybe do just 10 to 15 minutes the first day. You probably haven’t exercised since a long time so you will need to build stamina. When your stamina increases, you will be able to exert yourself  for longer. But if you think of going the whole hog right from the start, you will be exhausted to the point of giving up.

The same applies when you are trying to go make healthier food choices. You could not possibly give up all your favorite foods all at once. This will actually put you into depression and make you give up promptly. Depression also does something that will be detrimental to your weight loss plan. Itr eleases a hormone known as cortisol. This hormone – also known as the stress hormone – will make you mentally weak and will make you vulnerable. You will give up your plan sooner because of the release of this hormone.

Instead, you could start by giving up a few of the unhealthy foods at the start and work them out of your schedule slowly.

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