How To Achieve Your Personal Fitness Goals

Why do you want to be healthy?

Many people don't know why they want to be healthy. it's not good enough that you want to look good. If you really really want to lose 20 lb, you can lose it. If the reason you want to lose weight is that your wife told you to, it won't work. If the reason is that your doctor told you that you would die in a few months unless you lose 20 lb, you can lose 20 lb easily. Yes, motivation is almost everything.

It's your new life style.

If you think that dieting three months to lose 10 lb is all you need to do, it's not quite that simple. Most people who rely on a short-term diet gain back what they lost and more in a year. You need to make a (possibly huge) life style change. One time over-eating did not make you over weight. Your life style gradually increased your body fat. Without a life style change, the result won't be a permanent one.

Isn't your health the most important thing in your life?

Without health, you can't enjoy your relationships with your family, your wealth, your intellectual life, or even food. Do you want to eat food from a tube inserted from your nose to stomach? If you are not healthy, it could happen. Put a priority on improving your health.

Is it a part of your daily life?

Some people say that they're too busy at work and family life, and don't have time to work out. It's not true. There is always time, if you make it. As I mentioned previously, health is the most important thing in your life, and you can find the time. Think about it, many American watch TV for 4 hrs or more a day. And you can't make 30 minutes for your health? You don't need to go to a gym to work out, you can work out at home, at work, on the way to and from work. You just need to commit yourself.

Are you getting support from your family, friends, or co-workers?

It's not easy to achieve anything if your family members are not helpful. Tell them what your goal is, and what you want from them to support you, If you can, involve them. However, don't depend on them. You want to have a system that does not require other people's involvement. You can do it; just believe in yourself.

You can do it; just believe in you

If you think you can't, you can't. If you think you can, you can. This is true. Everyone is far more capable than they think they are. The main obstruction for achieving goals is not believing in oneself. In fact, most people know that intellectually, but it's not easy to believe it emotionally. The best way is, as anything else, taking a small step first. Pick something that you already can do well, such as walking. Maybe walk bit faster or longer next time. Then increase a little bit more next time. Eventually, you will build your self-confidence, and will reach your goal.

Find out how other people succeeded

The best way to succeed in your health goals is to find someone who was in the same situation, but achieved their goal. If you can find someone among your friends, that is great, but the person could be from books, magazines, or tape courses. Whatever difficulty you face, someone had it before, and solved it.

Live by your own standard, not by TV standards

Many women dream of having a fashion model's body. Yes, they look good with nice clothes on, but many of them are very unhealthy. They suffer osteoporosis by their mid 20's!. Besides they're not sexy at all for most men. Think about it. Marilyn Monroe was 5'4" and 140 lb. Wasn't she sexy? If you are healthy, it makes you attractive, both physically and mentally. Set your own standard and have a pride on it. Don't live by someone else's standard.

There is no bad food. You can eat whatever you want

Do you know why diets fail? Because people stop eating certain foods. If you love chocolate, but stop eating it for 3 months to lose weight, what do you think will happen after you stop dieting? You eat three times more chocolate and gain back all weight and more! Eat whatever you want to eat, but learn how to eat right. If you know that whenever you want to eat, you can eat, you will have less craving for the food.

YOU ARE GREAT, KEEP ACHIEVING MORE AND MORE!

Yes, you are great. You have already achieved so many things. So don't worry. You can do it.

Takashi Isobe: Personal Fitness Coach

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