Shore Fit
By Bonnie Dodd-Miller
I see many people joining a gym or fitness center and working extremely hard day in and day out but still not accomplishing their goals. I personally know many men and women that take multiple back to back classes and aren’t satisfied with their progress. They do strength training, cardiovascular training and other types of exercise and simply are spinning their wheels when it comes to their goals. Exercise is just one part of the equation. Nutrition and accountability are equally, if not a greater part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Why is it so difficult to stay on track with nutrition? The problem is accountability and mindset. Some have internal accountability while others need outside support. Mindset is everything!
Fitness accountability is great when you have others that attend the same class as you because you are more likely to attend. I love the camaraderie that I see on the daily at the Aquatic and Fitness center. A group of men and women that take classes together and have formed a special bond.
With nutrition, accountability is more individualized. I have met so many people that have tried all the fad diets looking for a quick fix. They’ve gone on and off so many different programs and spent a ton of money only to gain it all back and sometimes more. It’s a frustrating cycle of dieting.
It is important to think about lifestyle rather than diet. Going on diets that restrict you from foods you love is a recipe for failure. I recommend eating clean, staying away from processed foods and having a “celebration” meal once per week of your favorite foods. Portion control is also very important and filling up on vegetables and lean proteins keeps you satisfied, longer.
I also recommend that you take it one step at a time and do not overwhelm yourself. When you try to change too many things at once, you are not setting yourself up for success. I have been guilty of this by telling myself that I will hit the gym hard 6 days per week and then when I can’t because of unforeseen circumstances, become disappointed. I’ve had clients who want to lose weight, workout five times per week or more, cook new recipes, meal prep for themselves while cooking for others and that gets to be overwhelming. They can’t stick with it when trying to make all these new changes so they just throw in the towel. It’s too much all at once.
I highly recommend starting with a single goal for one month and then adding another goal and so on and so forth. This is going to set you up to accomplish your goals and lead to a happy, healthy lifestyle that is sustainable. Also remember, that a slip up doesn’t demolish your progress. You can always reset, re-evaluate and restart.
Bonnie Miller is certified fitness instructor at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center and Atilis Gym in Galloway. She is a mom of three and resides Somers Point.
