Restart Your Fitness Routine

Check out this awesome guest blog post by my friend and colleague Ray Wetterlund III, CSCS - owner & founder of RWIII Fitness (La Jolla, CA). Lots of great info! Enjoy.
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Many New Year Resolutionists have faced the difficult challenge of restarting a workout routine after a brief or extended reprieve. ‘Getting back into the swing of things’ is no easy task to undertake for renewed spirits. However, a successful fitness program starts with the right mindset.

Here are a few tips for those of you looking to restart your fitness routine after a break.

Restructure the way you think - Make realistic fitness goals for yourself, instead of setting too many lofty goals. Creating a to-do list is a great way to stay on top of your fitness goals, and helps you lay out a strategy to achieve them. Pre-planning your goals helps you piece together the details of your health regimen as well.

Pre-plan - Plan your fitness and exercise regimens ahead, so that you’ll be less likely to back out tomorrow. Setting aside time for a work out the day before, will set you up for success. Packing a gym bag or healthy lunch the night before will motivate the desired follow through effect.

Consistency is key - In order to reach your health and fitness goals, exercise must be incorporated into your daily routine. The body and mind both naturally crave consistency. Figure out what your workout schedule will be and solidify it on your planner, and soon your body will get used to the routine. A healthy amount of sleep and standardized meal times also help maintain consistency for your new workout routine.

Kinetic Energy - Once you get moving, you will feel better and motivated to continue with your fitness routine. If your fitness goals are on the loftier side, start small with 15m yoga or pilates at home, then graduate to 1 hour sessions at the gym. To get moving is key, but start slow and soon you’ll be back to your former speed and ability.

Track every workout - By keeping track of your fitness regimen, you will be able to see your small milestones and it will help you build fitness momentum and motivation.

Think welfare, not weight loss - Keeping the big picture of overall health and wellness in mind is important for fitness program sustainability. Since exercise is all about maintenance, it is important to focus on behavioral changes, and not just see the short term goals.
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Those are some awesome tips! Now get going, set your goals, make a plan, be consisent, get moving, track your progress and have fun.

It's time to take ACTION & take care of business. Afterall, life is too short to spend it on the couch watching reality TV!

-AR