Toning Up: Train for a reason

It may seem like a really obvious and silly thing to say, but I feel that the reason most people don't enjoy exercise is because they're doing it because they've probably been told to, or think they should "get fit".

But if you don't have a reason to train, if you don't have a reason to make exercise part of your daily activiies then other things can and do get in the way.

We are coming up to that time of year when everyone seems to set New Year's Resolutions. The most obvious ones being

1. Make more money
2. Lose weight
3. Get fit / join a gym

We won't touch the first one, but consider this single point - you need to be specific, measurable, attainatble, realistic and timely (SMART goals)... if you've never made a million in a year before you won't even know how to begin... but saying I just want another couple of thousand dollars a year isn't exactly inspiring either - so you need to plan. And the same goes for points 2 and 3.

How much weight do you want / need to lose? Bear in mind, we are talking "fat loss" not weight loss. How long have you got? Remember - the next 12 months will pass regardless of whether you follow your plans or stick to your new year's resolutions or not.

So - be specific - but you also need to decide what you are going to do in order to achieve that goal... what measures are you going to put into place. Dieting and weight loss isn't  rocket science, just mathematics. If you eat more than your body can use as fuel - you will put on weight. How do you tip the energy balance?

You can eat less or you can exercise more.

Now, going for a 30 minute "stroll" is hardly going to be enough to burn off an apple let alone half a christmas pudding, so again - be realistic about what you are eating - and then you can adjust your trainig / exercise accordingly.

The final point - Get fit / join a gym - is ok - but gyms the world over love people who set new year's resolutions, pay for a gym membership up front for a year thinking it will be the thing to ensure they turn up every week - but we can almost guarantee that by the middle of February the gyms are back to the regulars.

One of the best motivators around I feel is this - we need to train for a reason.

If you have a reason (bigger than the "get fit / lose weight" statement we all like to make from time to time) to train, then we will. Imagine booking a trip to go to basecamp everest and the day before the flight you wonder if you should have done a bit of training...

As we move through the Christmas and New Year holiday break, can I ask you to give some serious thought to your reasons for training.

One client wants to run the Perth City to Surf in August 2011, another wants to compete in the ring (and get washboard abs). If you are still struggling to work out what your reasons are for training - then I would like to make another suggestion.

Write down the "everything I want to do before I die" list or the Bucket List. Once you have started to crystallize your thinking you won't find it hard to find the main reason for your training.