It's never to late to improve your health!

Getting back into exercise after a long break can seem very daunting and to a lot of people, like to much effort. Many people stop exercising the moment they finish high school, or like myself take time out to have a family, or start a career. Whatever the situation the fact is that it's never to late to start looking after yourself.

Finding the motivation and the energy to get back into shape seems at times more tiring than actually doing it. There are always going to be a lot of questions and doubts to be dealt with before you can start. However the first step is to make the decision that 'yes' you are going to get fit, then worry about all the who's, what's, when's, where's, and how's later. You must be absolutely 100% convinced that you are going to get fit, then those doubts will seem less like excuses and more like challenges to be overcome. Only when you truly Believe that you are ready to make changes in your life will you find a way to achieve your goals.

'Conceive the idea; Believe the idea; Achieve the idea'

Surprisingly my mum has been the one that has shown me the benefits of changing her life and enjoying the changes she has made. After many years of increasing health concerns and weight problems, she finally threw away the diets and the preconceptions of middle age and got her health on track. By opening her mind up and finding the things she liked to do she has improved her life, health and appearance, she did all this with no expectations, no tape measures and no scales, she just wanted to enjoy life more.

Learn from the past, Live in the present, Plan for the future

When planning a training program I consider three phrases, they are:

(1) Learn from the past; don't dwell on what you used to look like or how fit you used to be, but rather what activities did you enjoy doing, what activities didn't you like, in other words use your experience to gain knowledge of what works for you. This will save you from repeating the same old mistakes. Keep in mind, learn from the past but don't live in it, other wise you'll never move forward.

(2) Plan for the future; ask yourself where do you want to be in 6 months, 12 months, 5 years? What do you want to be able to do at the end of that time? However make sure that you are being realistic, and honest with your expectations. If your goals are either to easy or to difficult then instead of experiencing success you may find that you create anxiety associated with failure in achieving your goals.

(3) Live in the present; after you have stopped to look where you came from, and you have looked ahead to see where you're going, then you can start living today. Ask yourself, what do I need to do today so that I am that little bit fitter and healthier tomorrow. But remember each day is a new day and every day counts, so don't dwell on what you didn't do yesterday but think what you will do today.

It is always a good idea at the end of each month, or when you feel that you are losing motivation to stop and look back at how far you have come, and re-evaluate where you are going. Remember a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean punishing yourself, make sure that you enjoy the activities you have chosen and try to include family and friends in everything you do.

I hope that this article has helped in some way, remember that the first step is the easiest, just make the decision to change your lifestyle. Stop worrying about how you look or how unfit you are, instead make a conscious decision to eat better, have fun exercising and enjoy the bonuses that come from it.

Happy training!

Shelley Byrne (fitness trainer)

If you have any Questions you can contact Shelley at fitness@lbkarate.com