Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence
We began the first week by discussing the importance of goal-setting. Some of you may have already reached one or more of the goals you set for yourself in Week 1. If so, congratulations - but that doesn't mean you're off the hook.
Continue to challenge yourself by setting new goals. If you're still working toward your original goal, keep up your hard work. Success will come to those who are persistent.
Situations are going to come up that will derail you, but if you take time to identify obstacles and barriers you might face in the upcoming weeks and months, you can equip yourself to handle them.
For example, maybe you can identify a busy season at work and can anticipate that it might be more challenging for you to complete all of your workouts. It might be helpful to know that you will be able to maintain the results that you have achieved by decreasing the frequency of your workouts by one-third - you won't make any major gains in your fitness level, but you will maintain where you are as long as you keep the intensity the same. In other words, if you have been working out three times per week, you can decrease to two times per week for a maintenance program. Another obstacle that individuals often face as we approach the summer months is travel plans. You can follow the maintenance principle when you are on holidays as well. Also, remember there are many exercises you can do while you're away on the road, so put a program together with body-weight exercises and/or tubing (i.e. squats, lunges, bridging, push-ups, jumping jacks, plank, etc).
As you move forward from today, tomorrow, next week and next month, reward yourself for taking steps to improve your quality of life. Book yourself for a massage, or treat yourself to dinner with a friend. Recognize that you don't have to be perfect all of the time - lapses will happen in your nutrition and your fitness, and that's OK. Recognize it, keep your eye on the prize, and assess how and what you can do to get back on track.
If you were en route to a destination and got a flat tire, chances are you wouldn't just turn around and call it a day. You would fix the problem and keep on trucking.
Visualize your destination and enjoy the ride!
