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A more fit 2011
MCT
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One key to sticking with exercise is finding a workout that you enjoy, says Lori Johnson, working out with client Elaine Taylor at Snap Fitness in Dallas, Texas, November 22, 2010.
Experts give tips on how to keep your exercise goals realistic
By Leslie Baker Garcia
Dallas Morning News
Another new year, another — fill in the blank — doughnut ditched, gym membership bought, resolution made, cute workout top purchased.
A few weeks into January, though, resolve has a tendency to subside.
Even those with the best intentions sometimes stand at the foot of the fitness mountain.
Unused gym cards remain in sweaty little hands, price tags still are attached to moisture-wicking fabric shirts.
Clouds of doubt and confusion block the once-clear summit.
About 80 percent of people make New Year’s resolutions. Of those, maybe 20 percent keep them.
Maybe some get bored or impatient.
Maybe some get injured or burned out, either of which can happen when you’re working out too hard or incorrectly.
In the name of defying the odds, we’ve asked some experts for help with these: knowing some basics; beginning an exercise program; buffing up.
KNOWING THE BASICS
Expert: Lindsay Lookingbill, membership services coordinator for campus recreation at the University of Texas at Arlington.
In a nutshell: Get enough sleep; use common sense, don’t be afraid to ask.
Her props: Patience; moisture-wicking clothing; notebook to record goals.
Her tips
Wear the right clothes. Cotton absorbs sweat, keeping moisture next to your skin. Wicking fabric, though, pulls sweat away so you stay more comfortable. “It doesn’t absorb moisture itself, so it dries quickly,” she says.
Breathe. That may sound a bit obvious, but she’s seen people who turn red in the face because they’re holding their breath.
If the weight’s too heavy, don’t lift it. We’ve all seen people whose weights are just way too heavy. “My office is under the weight rooms, so I can hear them dropping to the ground,” she says. “It scares me. I just hope one day they don’t fall through the ceiling.”
Ask for help. We’re not born knowing how to stay fit. So ask, please.
Bottom line: “If you mess up, it’s OK. Working out is not an all-or-nothing type mentality.”
GETTING STARTED
Expert: Lori Johnson, personal trainer through various Dallas gyms, including Snap Fitness North.
In a nutshell: Begin at a realistic starting point; be consistent; measure progress periodically.
Her props: Straight-back chair; porch step; pair of walking shoes.
Her tips
Have a baseline. Stand facing a step. For three minutes, go up and down the step. At the end, measure your heart rate. After four to six weeks, do it again. Chances are, it’s come down, which is a sign you’re getting more fit.
Start from where you can. If you can just walk to the corner and back, so be it. Day after tomorrow, do it twice.
Be patient. When you don’t see results, remind yourself why you’re doing this.
Use what’s available. Instead of relaxing during a TV show, stand in front of your chair, facing the TV. Holding your arms out straight, start to sit. Before your bottom hits the seat, stand up. Repeat. When you’re standing in line, go up and down on your toes.
Bottom line: “It’s never too late to start. Find out what you like to do. If you don’t, you won’t stick with it.”
TONING UP
Expert: Billy Young, personal trainer and instructor at Dr. Peay’s Booty Camp.
In a nutshell: Form, cardio, nutrition.
His props: A 10-pound kettle bell, foam roller, resistance bands and your own body weight. With those, he says, you can be in your best shape ever.
His tips
Balance cardio with weight training. “If you’re out of shape and overweight, before those toned muscles shine through, you gotta lose that girth.” An hour of cardio will burn more calories than an hour of lifting weights.
If you don’t like running, don’t.Power walk, trot up and down stairs, jog up a hill and walk down. Jump rope. Do calisthenics.
You won’t get toned by starving yourself. One of Young’s boot-camp participants lost 13 pounds in a week on a cabbage-soup diet. Younger clients wonder why they’re not getting more toned. He knows; he reads their Facebook posts about the bars they went to over the weekend.
Think time, not numbers. Instead of doing three sets of 12 reps, Young suggests doing three sets for a certain time; 30 seconds, for example. Run 30 minutes instead of three miles.
Bottom line: “I don’t believe you can go into a gym and work out with free weights and become fit. I’m a firm believer in cardio. When I’m in my best physical shape, I rarely work out at a gym. I don’t even belong to a gym.”
RUNNING A MARATHON
Expert: Marcus Grunewald, executive director of the Dallas White Rock Marathon and a veteran of 25 marathons.
In a nutshell: Believe in yourself.
His props: Good pair of running shoes; training group; goal.
His tips:
- Have a checkup.
Tell your doctor your plans and undergo the tests necessary to make sure you’re healthy.
- Talk to people with similar goals.
You’ll be going through the same thing for a long time and can support each other through highs and lows.
- Research training groups.
Ask around; get recommendations. See what fellow and former marathoners think about their coaches. Classes usually start in July; get ready for them by walking, then by running a block at a time. “If you can run a block,” Grunewald says, “you can run a marathon.”
- Invest in a good pair of shoes.
Go to a store with staff trained to watch you walk and find the right pair for you. Bring the pair you’ve been exercising in so they can check the wear and tear.
- Remember that most training is mental.
“I did my first because someone told me I couldn’t do it,” Grunewald says. “I got a computer program to print out a huge sign that said ‘You can do it, Marcus!’ when I’d come in from a run.”
Bottom line: “Running a marathon is a mindset. You can do anything you want to do if you want it badly enough. It proves you’re capable of doing something that most normal people wouldn’t consider trying. Less than 1 percent of the population ever finishes one.”