You must be interested in fitness. But do you want long term results? Long-term results come from hard work and dedication! The results fitness has on your body are blankly addicting. Working out and getting fit is one of the best decisions you could make to get your body looking sexy and attractive. College aged students, especially women have so much pressure on them to look “GOOD” and what better way to achieve that goal by becoming obsessed with fitness with just 4 easy steps.(Nuckols 1) “The key to achieving these goals is discovering the motivation that will let you press forward!(Nuckols 1)”
Plan the S.M.A.R.T Way
SPECIFIC: Make achievable goals and be very specific on what kind of body type you are trying to achieve. There are many different types of body physics such as; toned, bulky, muscular, slender, and thick.
For example: If you want to improve body composition then your goal should be weight loss related. Burning fat by cardio and doing constant activity is great ways to accomplish this goal.
For example: If you are a college track star, you might want to improve your athletic performance by training for a marathon.
MEASUABLE: if losing weight you should be trying to measure exactly how much weight loss you are trying to achieve in what amount of time. Keep track of your goals and results to help you know if a certain workout method is right for you.
ACHIEVABLE: Are you setting unattainable goals? Know your body and personally type so you can confidently say what is attainable for you to do in your workouts!
“Goals should be set high, but they also need to be realistic!(Nuckols 1)” RELEVANT: make change upon yourself for you and not anyone else. Do not follow the crowd but let them follow you by setting the example.
TIME: Set a date for completion. This way you can see yourself before and after body results and that outcome will only make you want to continue working out. This is because fitness has so many beneficial factors that you can Fall in Love With! You will never want to stop…. And that’s good!(Holmes 1)
Don’t Forget The Big Picture Don’t stop working out after you start noticing some results. The best results are further along months into your fitness routine. Never forget the bigger picture meaning your body can always improve.
FACTS: How long after working out will you gain muscle?
“Generally speaking, men can add between 1.5 – 2.5 pounds of muscle every month; the average gain is about half of a pound a week for someone diligently following a well structured program. Women will put on muscle mass at a slower rate than men (largely due to testosterone levels), roughly half as fast as men, or about ½ pound every 2 weeks or 1 lb a month.” (Holmes 2)
FACTS: How long after I start working out will I start losing weight?
When you implement a regular exercise regime, you can see a difference in the numbers on the scale in as little as a week. If you combine your physical activity with healthy eating changes and reasonable calorie consumption, you can easily drop 2 pounds per week, starting at week one. In fact, people often see a loss more dramatic than two pounds in that first week as their body sheds extra water retention; just remember that 2 lbs/week is actually what you should aim for in terms of a rate that you can keep up and keep off.(Holmes 1)
Focus On The Right Standards
These are YOUR standards! Your results from fitness are yours.
Best Activity Keep You Going Do what activity you love to do because that’s what ultimately going to keep you improving in your love for fitness.(Nuckols 1)
What is your favorite workout routine?
Real Talk from interviewing Erica a female college student at ODU:
“I enjoy going to classes at onelife fitness because I can kind of lose myself in the workout and just focus on the instructor and getting the moves down! I do step classes, and hot yoga – which is an all body workout! I mix my cardio days up with elliptical training, cycling and recently just started running! I get bored really easily so I constantly need to have new goals or new things to do at the gym otherwise I don’t want to work out anymore and I completely loose motivation!” Real Talk from interviewing Rebecca a female college student at FSU:
I’m not an outdoor’s person, and my motivation level is really low sometimes, lol, so exercise DVD’s work great for me. I have previously tried going to the gym and taking workout classes but as soon as I tried workout DVD’s I’m actually accomplishing something.
Nuckols, Greg, and Gareth Holman PhD. “4 Ways To Fall In Love With Fitness – Bodybuilding.com.” Bodybuilding.com. Bodybuilding, 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 16 Sept. 2014. <http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/4-ways-to-fall-in-love-with-fitness.html>.
Holms, Tyrone. “How to Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals.” Active.com. American Council, LLC, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Sept. 2014. <http://www.active.com/fitness/articles/how-to-set-s-m-a-r-t-goals>.
Alexandria Cummines