Tips for Making the Most of Your Score

So now that you have rated your motivation level for exercise and found your "score", at least you know where you stand. Now it's time to take a look at what you can do to either improve your motivation or actually find time to fit fitness into your day.

If you rated yourself below a “5” on the scale, here are a few ideas that may help you increase your motivation for exercise:

1. Write your “Why Should I?” list. Take a few minutes to list all the reasons to become more physically active that are important to you. (Do not include reasons that are important to other people or that you think “should” be meaningful to you.) When writing our list, think about how exercise may make you feel, how your life might be better when you are active and what outcomes and results you’ll get from it.

2. Write your “What If I Don’t?” list. Think about what might happen or what life will be like if ou decide NOT to get or stay physically active. Will there be any negative consequences? How will you feel about yourself? What will your health be like? How might your decision affect
your future?

3. Use your lists to your benefit. When you review your lists, take particular notice of any thoughts you wrote that really make you feel a strong emotion when you think about them. These are the powerful motivators that can help you get or stay active. You need to find a way to remind yourself daily of these motivators and the emotions that go along with them. For example, if exercise is important to you because you want to be healthy and fit to enjoy playing with your children, consider putting pictures of your kids in places you’ll see them when you may be faced with the decision to exercise or not. If you have trouble breaking from work for exercise; put the pictures on your computer; if you would default to television instead of exercise; put a small picture of them on the remote control.

If you rated yourself a “5” or above on the motivation scale, here are a few practical suggestions for fitting fitness into your busy schedule:

1. Do more of what you love (or at least like). If you’re not a “gym person”, then stop making resolutions to get to the gym! The best types of exercise are those you will actually do regularly, so choose your favorites and set your sights on incorporating more of those. Anything that gets you moving is good – rollerblading, gardening, walking, kickboxing, fitness videos, tonight on your living room floor.

2. Recognize the benefits of the small stuff. If you’re doing very little activity or none at all, then even small amounts can make a difference. A few minutes here and there adds up, so if you truly don’t have a chunk of 30 or 45 minutes at a time to devote to activity, you shouldn’t use that as an excuse not to do it at all. If you’re tight on time on a particular day, you could take the stairs at work several times during work, walk for 15 minutes on your lunch break and then run around with your kids in the yard for 10 or 15 minutes when you get home.

3. Be flexible and realistic. If you have an inconsistent schedule and are unable to commit to a “regular” exercise routine every week, spend a few minutes with your calendar at the start of each week to identify a few times you can commit to. Taking into account your scheduling opportunities and constraints that week, make a commitment that you are fairly confident you can achieve, even if it’s different than the week before.

4. Plan for your obstacles in advance. When you’ve decided what you’ll do for exercise and when, ask yourself: What might get in the way of my exercise this week? What challenges am I likely to face in meeting my goal? And then come up with one or two realistic strategies that will address your barriers. For example, if your biggest challenge will be that you don’t like to exercise alone; consider finding a friend to join you, going to a fitness class where there will be other people or getting your kids involved.

5. Go High-Tech! If you need a quick workout you can do virtually anywhere with little or no equipment, you can find a solution online. Sign up for an inexpensive membership to Make It Fit for access to fitness videos, podcasts and printable workouts you can do in your home, office or even on the road with little or no equipment.

Office Workouts Help You Find the Time for Fitness

Let’s be honest, when something is really important to us we find a way to fit it into our life, at least in small doses anyways. It's all about prioritizing. If your life right now is chronically busy and over scheduled, you need to decide whether or not it’s important to spend some time and energy on physical activity, even if that means taking time and energy away from other things you do. It can also mean finding those pockets of time during your day to fit fitness in your schedule. That can be as easy as utilizing one of the office workouts on Make It Fit during your lunch break or woking a walk into your morning or evening routine.

When you’re relaxed and clear-minded, use the following numbers to rate your motivation to get or stay active. (When you think about “regular” activity, envision a type and amount of exercise that feels realistic to you – even if it’s only a few minutes per day more than what you’re doing now.)

1: Definitely do not want to be more active
2: Not very motivated at all; low priority
3: A little motivated; low to medium priority
4: Somewhat motivated; low-medium priority
5: Fairly motivated, at least most of the time; med priority
6: Motivated; one of my high priorities
7: Very motivated; high priority
8: Extremely motivated: will do whatever it takes

If you rated yourself below a “5”, exercise may not be a big enough priority in your life for you to expect to be able to find time for it on a regular basis. Your best bet is to do some “thinking” work that may make you feel more emotionally committed to physical fitness before you set an action goal.

If you rated yourself a “5” or above, then you probably just need a few practical suggestions for fitting fitness into your busy schedule. Check back with us next time when we will give you some suggestions on how to find time and motivation for fitness based on your score in this exercise.

More Spring Break Tips...Stay Active with Your Family

Yesterday we discussed a two tips to help you stay fit when vacationing...Going High-tech and Bringing a Band! Today, let's take it a step further. Here are three more ways to make sure you still get exercise while enjoying that relaxing getaway with your family this Spring Break.

Tip 3: Work the water. Whether you’re poolside, lakeside or oceanside, you can use the water for a refreshing bout of exercise. Go back and forth between swimming laps and jogging in chest-deep water; use a flotation device to keep your feet off the ground while you cycle your legs and paddle your arms; or simply tread water for 30-60 seconds at a time, resting in between sets.

Tip 4: Discover something new. Exercise often feels more enjoyable when you’re exploring new surroundings. Get to know your vacation spot a little better by planning some walks or bike rides to places you haven’t yet gone.

Tip 5: Active Family Time. Play with your kids. Jump in the water with them instead of standing by the wayside, get in on their game of tag or join them for a bike ride. If your children aren’t moving on their own, vacation is a great chance to minimize screen time and try some new activities together.

Most importantly enjoy your time away with your family in an active way. Engage in the time you have together and stay moving! You will come home to find yourself happier, healthier and refreshed!

Spring Break Doesn't Mean a Break from Exercise...Printable Workouts Can Help!

Spring Break is upon is and that means it's time to head to the beach! But a vacation doesn't have to throw you off the exercise wagon altogether. Taking too long a break from your normal exercise routine can make you lose some of the progress you worked so hard to achieve.

Over the next few days we are going to share some practical tips to help you stay fit, even when you're not at home.

Today's tips: Go high-tech...and Bring a Band!

Tip 1: Go high-tech: If you are staying in a hotel or vacation house with no exercise facility you don't have to eliminate exercise from your schedule. Take advantage of Make It Fit’s online fitness videos! Take your laptop with you and choose a workout from our selection. Many of our videos can be done in a small space – even in a typical hotel room - with minimal or no equipment.

Tip 2: Bring a Band: If you pack a resistance band in your suitcase you can get your strength training in anywhere, anytime. SPRI has a band you can get for about $7. You can then find a printable workout for a full-body resistance band routine in our workout library. No more excuses!

Check back in with us tomorrow for more tips to make sure your spring vacation doesn't set you back on your fitness regimen.

Fitness Bailout...Spread the Word Across Kansas & Missouri!

Spread the word... If you, or anyone you know, lives in Kansas or Missouri you can take advantage of our Fitness Bailout initiative next week!

We are helping all residents of these Heartland states afford to “fit” fitness into their finances this year by donating our services for almost nothing. Make It Fit is offering all residents of Kansas and Missouri an annual membership to http://www.youcanmakeitfit.com/ for only 99 cents a month if they sign up on Tuesday April 14, 2009 during the hours of 6am to midnight CDT.

Residents who log onto the site on “Fitness Bailout Day” and sign up for the virtually free membership will immediately have access to a large library of streaming fitness videos, fitness podcasts, and printable workouts, along with other weight management tools such as nutrition information and diet plans. These tools provide the user with an excellent opportunity to exercise at home, in the office, or on the road, all on their own schedule, with experienced fitness professionals to guide and motivate them.

A membership to MAKE IT FIT™ is normally priced at $14.95 per month. That is significantly less than a gym membership, but still out of reach for some people who are eliminating the cost of exercise as a way of tightening their belts. Through the “Fitness Bailout” initiative we hope to help thousands of residents fit fitness into their monthly budgets at the small cost of only 99 cents.

The country is going through a tough time of national economic struggle which makes it difficult for many people to pay for a gym membership or hire a personal trainer to guide and motivate them through the uphill battle of weight loss. We truly hope that through this initiative we can give more people access to convenient fitness tools for a price that everyone can certainly afford right now.

By joining MAKE IT FIT™, residents will find a wide variety of streaming and downloadable workouts including strength training, cardio, abs, mind-body, pre- and post-natal programs, office exercises and more. Members will also find ways to get their families active and to stay fit while traveling. These include kids’ programs, classes designed to be done in a hotel room and podcasts for “on the go” workouts. There are classes and workouts suited for all fitness levels, including currently sedentary or very overweight individuals. Later this year, MAKE IT FIT™ will add a structured Beginner’s Program that will guide those people new to exercise through a several-month progression designed to help them gradually add more activity into their lives in a way that is suitable for their fitness level.

To take advantage of the 99 cent/month offer to all Kansas and Missouri residents, simply log onto http://www.youcanmakeitfit.com/ on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 between the hours of 6am and midnight CDT and click on the “Fitness Bailout Day” link on the home page for information on how to sign up.

Exercise Podcasts Give Flexibility to Your Work Out Time

What is the best time of day for exercise? Some of us are early risers while others can't get out of bed a second earlier than we absolutely have to. So does it matter what time of the day we set aside for exercise?

This is a commonly asked question. The simple answer is this... whenever you can find the time and will be committed to doing exercise on a consistent basis... you have found the "best time"! There is no “rule” about this that applies to everyone. Your personal preferences, energy level and schedule will determine what the best time is for you.

Exercise in the morning can be a great way to jump start your day. Many people find they are most consistent when they do it first thing; as the day wears on it can become difficult to carve out the time. Although getting up early can be challenging at first, you will be surprised how easily this can become a habit and how much more energized you feel during the day.

But morning workouts don't have to fall into a rut. You don't have to head to the gym every morning. You can choose to follow a quiet yoga podcast workout while taking in the fresh air at a local park, or enjoy one of Make It Fit's high-powered cycling classes from the comfortable seat of your stationary bike. There are numerous options to get you going, on your own pace in the morning.

Mid day exercise can be advantageous because you may have more energy for the afternoon, be more alert and have time to properly fuel yourself for the exercise session. Also, exercise can be a great mid day snack suppressant. People who exercise during a lunch break at work often eat healthier and more moderate portions for lunch, which serves as an extra benefit.

Evening workouts help to put a long day behind you and relieve stress. Some people find this is the time when they have the most energy and feel most ready for exercise. Evening workouts also encourage you to eat a smaller, healthier dinners. Remember that exercise is a stimulant, so be sure to end your workouts 1 -3 hours before bedtime so as not to affect your ability to fall asleep.

Although it is a good idea to stick to a regular schedule, anytime is a good time for exercise. That's one of the biggest benefits to Make It Fit. You can exercise anytime, anywhere, on your own schedule. You will reap the same benefits from exercise no matter when you do it - as long as you do it consistently. Try different times and see what works best for you.

Peel Away the Layers to Peel Away the Pounds

Yesterday we talked about how once you can identify your internal and external motivation, you will be able to use those factors to help you stay on track. Motivation to improve health comes in many forms. Some motivators are internal – thoughts or feelings that come from inside you. Others are external – events, people or situations that inspire you. Both types of motivators can be an important type of fuel for change. Motivators vary from person to person, and are completely dependent on unique personalities, priorities, life situations, needs and desires.

The first step in mastering your motivation so you stay on track is to clearly identify what it is that’s motivating you. Knowledge is power: the more you get to know yourself, the more likely you are to be successful at changing your unhealthy habits! When you know what it is that truly motivates you, you will be able to plan for ways to keep feeling inspired and driven to positive change, even through difficult times.

Hopefully after being with us yesterday, you have put some thought into your reasons for wanting to improve your health or life in general. If you are a member of Make It Fit, you have even taken those first steps to becoming healthier by using our fitness videos at convenient times during your busy week. But to successfully overcome the daily challenges that face you and your attempt to stay on track with your exercise regimen, it’s important to peel away the layers until you identify the real, powerful motivators. If you haven't already, I encourage you to spend a few minutes writing your answers to the following questions:

• If you could choose one area in your life to change, what would it be? Be specific.




• Why is it important to you to make this change?




• Why do you want to make this change now?

When you’re done, review carefully what you’ve written. Think deeply about the questions and your answers. Challenge yourself to dig deeper and peel away the layers to find even more meaningful answers. Take your answers and ask yourself the last two questions again: So why is that important to you? And why now?

In order to master your motivation, you must get to know exactly what it is that is driving you to change now. Be honest with yourself – you might be surprised what you come up with!

Identifing Factors to your Online Fitness Motivation

Welcome to our blog geared to help you find time for fitness, stay on track with your exercise regimen, and eliminate excuses for lacking the motivation to accomplish your fitness goals. We believe that with the inception of online fitness, there are no more excuses. When you can have guided exercise videos and wellness information at the click of your mouse, you lose any excuse you had to not work out.

We know that motivation is key to helping you be successful with your exercise regimen. If you’ve attempted to lose weight, eat better, exercise regularly, manage stress or make other improvements in your life in the past, you’ve probably experienced the come-and-go nature of motivation. At first, you may feel very inspired and driven to change but, as time passes or the going gets tough, your enthusiasm seems to slip away, and you quickly go back to how things were before you tried to make that change. Motivation is one of the major reasons for failing to follow through with attempts to make change.

Although it may feel like it, motivation is not an abstract force that is out of your control. Once you understand what really motivates you and how motivation works, you’ll be able to make the choices that result in lifelong health. This is not to say you will always feel the same level of motivation, or that you’ll be motivated by the same things. However, when you’re able to identify your motivators, you will be more successful at staying on track. So, where does your motivation come from, and what’s the secret to keeping it? We are going to tackle this more in depth tomorrow, but until then, take a second to think about the internal and external factors that motivate you and check back tomorrow to learn how identifying those feelings, events and people can seriously affect your motivation and road to success.