You’ve seen “What about Bob,” right? Bob gets freaked out about thinking too many steps ahead and overreacts to just about everything. His doctor teaches him to think of his life in baby steps to stay focused and successful. And by successful, I mean “walking out of a room” and “opening a car door.” Fitness is no different, especially if you’re just starting out. Once you make the decision to be healthy, it can often get pretty overwhelming. You need to be like Bob: take everything one day at a time, one change at a time.
Being healthy isn’t just “going to the gym three times a week.” It requires a full time commitment and decision to change your life. Now if you’re thinking “aw crap I need to empty my fridge, go buy spandex and spend five days in the gym, screw this I’m gonna play Halo…” I wouldn’t blame you; that would scare the crap out of me too. However, it doesn’t need to be so drastic and so sudden. BABY STEPS! You have to learn to crawl before you can walk. It’s like playing through the tutorial level in video games. Yeah it sucks, it’s probably boring, but if you skip it you might miss some key things that will help you get through the rest of the game.
If you haven’t worked out a day in your life, then maybe signing up for Jazzercise classes five days a week isn’t the right idea. Try two days a week, and take it easy. Trust me, it’s much better to walk out of the gym saying “that was successful, I can’t wait to get back here.” instead of “wow that sucked, I’m never doing it again! EVER!” Take it slow, take it one day at a time, and build on each day of success until you find your rhythm.
- Want to start running? Go for half a mile the first day instead of signing up for the Boston Marathon. The last thing you want is to go too far, and then spend the next four days with sore legs as you walk around your office like a penguin.
- Want to buy a gym membership? Why not hold off for a few weeks and do body weight exercises in your house first? Push ups, lunges, squats, pull ups on the neighbor’s swing set, etc. You can get a lot done without paying for it.
- Gonna join an ultimate frisbee league? Go out to the park a three weeks early, a few nights a week, and start running around and tossing the disc. You have to get into game shape before you officially step on the field? Just like you have to learn to crawl before you walk, you have to learn to walk before you can run.
As for your diet, which accounts for probably 80% of your success when it comes to being healthy, go with baby steps too. Don’t empty your fridge, don’t give up everything you love to eat…take it one change at a time. It’s really not that bad, plus it will add years to your life.
- The first change you absolutely need to make is START EATING BREAKFAST. This one is non-negotiable – read why here.
- If you eat white bread, next week change it to wheat. Within two weeks you won’t even notice the difference.
- If you eat steak and cheese subs five days a week…switch to a grilled chicken sandwich instead a few times a week. Do the research on what you like to eat that is good for you, and start to make the transition.
- If you drink five Mountain Dews every day, switch to water and only drink soda on the weekend (if you’re drinking it because you need all that caffeine every day…you’re probably addicted and should ween yourself off it anyways).
- Get a bag of Doritos every day at the vending machine? Save the money and bring in your own healthy snack.
Human beings are creatures of habit. You’re far more likely to change one habit at a time and stick with it than trying to change 76 habits simultaneously. Make a few changes at a time, and concentrate on sticking with them. After you’ve made one positive change and stuck with it, use the success and momentum from that to stay, “hey look what I did!” and keep the ball rollin’. Feel free to call your mom and tell her, because she’ll probably be proud.
Remember, 500 less calories per day (either with exercise, change in diet, or a combination of the two) equals a loss of one pound of body fat per week. Little changes can add up quickly, so just stick with it!
-Steve
