Episode 12: 10 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself Before Starting an Exercise Program

 

What if I had a crystal ball that could determine if you will succeed with your exercise program for weight loss? Well, admittedly this crystal ball does not exist; there is, however, a series of ten questions that will determine your readiness and thus your likelihood of success with any exercise program. These questions were pioneered by a martial arts master named Master George Chung in his weight loss program, Strong Mind, Fit Body. Unfortunately, this program is no longer published.

The interesting thing about questions is the fact that they infer that you have a choice. Where there is a choice, there is an ability to make a change for your life. All that you have to do is choose a different path. As you go through each question, look deep into the heart of the question see the lesson that each question teaches you about becoming a successful exerciser.

So, what are these magic questions?

1.     Have you had it with your current state of health and/or weight? One characteristic of people who make a permanent change with exercise and weight loss is they are completely fed up with their state of health. It all comes down to how sick you are of being overweight or unhealthy. Here is the fascinating thing about how you answer this question; the BEST answers are the WORST answers!  This means the worse you feel about your state of health, the higher your chances of success. There is one more ingredient to this recipe, it’s not enough to be disgusted with your current state of health; you must also be ready for change. If you’re sick and tired and ready for change then you are on your way.

2.     Do you understand the benefits of exercise? If I could encapsulate and bottle the benefits of exercise, I would be very rich. As a pharmacist and personal trainer, I can tell you that exercise is far more beneficial for the heart, brain, bones and immune system than medicine’s most powerful drugs. Exercise will help you feel more energetic, more focused, more confident and more powerful. You will enjoy a longer life full of more adventure and experience, and best of all, when you are a buff 110 years old, you will still be able to remember it all because your brain will still be functioning!

3.     Do you know what you are doing when it comes to exercise? Successful exercisers know how to exercise. I know that this sounds like common sense, but you would be surprised how few people have actually taken the time to learn proper technique. The people who do not take the time to learn proper technique end up with two possible fates; either they injure themselves and can’t exercise anymore or they give up because every exercise session is a  practice in self-doubt which lowers self-confidence. If you do not feel complete confidence in your ability to exercise safely and effectively, take the time to learn, it will serve you for a lifetime.

4.     Do you believe that you can be fit and healthy? Many people have failed to achieve their desired level of health and fitness many times in their lives; this regular exposure to perceived failure gives you a deep, sinking feeling that failure is imminent. Interestingly, this is not the case in the beginning of a weight loss program, because new diets or new programs are almost always filled with hope, but eventually the feelings of self-doubt creep in again and soon it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Successful exercisers know that their actions are resulting in improvements in health and fitness, they KNOW IT!

5.     Do you have a long term perspective? People who are successful at weight loss are those who have what I call a “trickle philosophy”. They believe that weight loss happens slowly and expect ½ to 2 pounds of weight loss a week. People who are not successful are always looking for the short term unrealistic results.

6.     Are you able to set goals and immediately take steps to achieve those goals? Successful exercisers set realistic and attainable goals and they simply take action towards the achievement of those goals. People who are not successful, have no written goals and have no concrete direction. This usually results in them changing direction each time they read something new in a magazine or book. Successful exercisers have a clear direction, they stick to it until they have enough data to draw a significant conclusion.

7.      Do you have strategies to overcome obstacles when they arise? (and they ALWAYS arise!) Unsuccessful exercisers have a tendency to be overwhelmed and overridden by the obstacles in their lives. They have no strategies in place for snow days or parties, they just give in to the circumstances of their lives. Successful exercisers have definite strategies to  handle obstacles. What do you do when it snows? What do you do when the babysitter doesn’t show up? What do you do when you get caught up at work and can’t make it to the gym? Have plans to deal with every possible obstacle!

8.     Are you willing to invest time and resources? If I had a dime for every person who gave me the “I don’t have time” excuse, I would be a very rich man! The funny thing about unsuccessful exercisers is they never seem to have time…for exercise. They have time to watch TV, chat on the phone, read weight loss magazines, but they never have time to exercise. This excuse is total bogus, you have exactly as many hours in a day as every other person in this world from the President of the United States to the guy at work who lost 150 pounds of fat while raising a family and climbing the corporate ladder. One tactic to implement in your life is what Tony Robbins calls “NET” which stands for “No Extra Time”. Look for ways to connect actionable items like watching your favorite TV show while walking the treadmill or listening to audio-books while running the trail.

9.     Do you draw strength from small successes? Successful exercisers feel great about themselves every single time they exercise; unsuccessful exercisers don’t allow themselves to feel good until they have lost a set number of pounds or can fit into a certain size pants. Ask yourself, “how do you define success?” That is a golden nugget because you get to set the rules in your life. You decide when you are permitted to rejoice about your life. Change the way that you define success to something you can easily achieve and then party each time you achieve it.

10.  Can you sustain exercise for 30 days straight? It takes thirty days of a repeated activity to implant an action as a habit. Can you walk for 30 minutes a day, every single day (weekends and holidays included) for 30 straight days? If you can commit to this simple set of actions you will forge a neural path in your brain that will make activity a force of habit! I know that 30 minutes of walking will not burn a lot of calories; it isn’t the calories that we are interested in, it is the habit of exercise. Every time you repeat an action, it is like walking the same path through a forest. Initially you may not see a trail for the first few days that you push through the trees and bushes, but after you have walked the same path every day for a series of days you will start to see a trail. As the trail develops, it gets easier and easier to walk the path and you will reach your destination sooner and sooner with each trip. In the beginning it is difficult, just know that it gets easier with each successful day.