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What blocks my good intentions?
By Perry Karfunkel | October 18, 2007
All right, so here’s the question… If I KNOW what I should be doing for my health, why don’t I just DO it ? Why is it that it just doesn’t happen? Why can’t I get disciplined and become that gym dude that would burn the calories and strengthen my heart and lungs and make me healthier? What’s the source of discipline that other guys have, is it just competitiveness to look good, not be outdone by other guys? If “live and let live” is a good philosophy in interpersonal relations, why is it such a block to my own personal health? I really don’t understand it myself.… Did I really just have to join the Marine Corps to “become a man” and get control of myself? (It’s a little late for that NOW!)
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Topics: Fitness, Well-being | 4 Comments »
October 19th, 2007 at 10:41 am
As a former trainer, I have worked with both men and women in reaching their fitness goals. I have found differences in their attitudes towards consistent exercise and nutrition quite interesting. I’ve noticed that my female clients saw these things as a means of self preservation (especially mentally) and a way to be a more effective competitor. With what? I don’t know, I’m not a woman. With this perspective I guess it makes monitoring their health more of a necessity than a burden. With my male clients, most of them actively monitored their health to meet specific objectives. It was either go get ready for spring break or a suggestion from their significant others suggesting that they would look more attractive 10 pounds lighter. For my older male clients (who were mainly single) it was mainly to “look better”. Meeting those objectives usually ended our client, trainer interaction while with my female clients the sessions went on until they felt that they could train on their own. Between both gender groups, my female clients always asked me more questions about their health then my male clients. So likewise, I’ve wondered what blocks men’s good intentions to exercise and eat healthy? Do men only see these preventative mechanisms as only a way to meet short-term health goals? Do men feel uncomfortable with getting direction on how to live healthier lives? Do men feel that consistent exercise and good nutrition as a mental and social burden? Or as a trainer was I more gender competent with my female clients than I was with my male clients?
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:35 am
You’ve hit upon a couple of key factors that are critical in beginning and maintaining a personal fitness program: motivation and discipline.
As an M.D., former personal trainer, and avid exerciser for the past 30-plus years, I know–from both a patient as well as personal perspective–the role of motivation in facilitating changes in our lives that, for whatever reason, we may understand the value of but not be initially (or even chronically) able to implement. After finally becoming motivated, personal discipline is necessary to sustain what we’ve begun. Let’s examine a few variables for you to consider.
First, don’t psych yourself out thinking that exercise and fitness have to be “boot camp,” such as a Marine Corps program, in order to be effective. This is especially true if you haven’t engaged in a fitness routine before, or if there are health problems or issues that may limit what you can do. There are many fitness authorities, books, and Internet sources that outline very simple steps that can be taken to BEGIN (remember, you don’t have to stick with the same program for the rest of your life), and gradually increase, a fitness program that eases you into a pattern of lifestyle modification and consistency in order to reach your goals.
Second–and this is applicable to a broad range of issues in life–it sometimes takes the heart (figuratively) a little time to catch up with the head when it comes to what we KNOW versus what we DO. Exercise and fitness should be a LIFESTYLE, not a short-term effort that is expected to produce long-term results. But even though we may KNOW what we SHOULD be doing, it is not always so easy to know where or how to begin or how to enforce the needed discipline upon ourselves to make it happen. For example, even though I KNOW that if I overeat on a certain day, I’ll have to spend subsequent days “working off” all those calories again, sometimes I allow my appetite to simply overpower my personal discipline. Still, when I’ve “been good” with my eating and exercise over several days and am able to see and/or feel some results of my efforts, my motivation helps feed my discipline to continue my efforts and not get sidetracked.
Third, the discipline to SUSTAIN a fitness program over the long haul–not just the fitness program itself–takes work, and all kinds of considerations work against us in this. Our workaholic society with its obsessive devotion to work, 24/7 news cycles and reporting, information overload, family, friends, hobbies, etc., all can cause us to devalue the role of a healthy body and crowd out any time to take care of this marvelous biological machine.
Here are some suggestions (Of course, check with your doctor if you need to prior to starting a fitness program): 1) Determine, however, broadly, your reasons and goals for exercising, e.g., lose weight, gain muscle, improve health, fit clothes better, battle a certain disease or illness, etc. 2) Determine how much time you think you have to devote to exercising on a weekly basis, including the number of days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday? Four days? Five days? six days?) and the amount of time in each session (An hour? 30 minutes? More? Less?). 3) Engage in some research–and this can be done right on the Internet–as to what it would take to help you reach your goals, which will likely involve some combination of cardiovascular (“aerobic”) exercise, weight training, and stretching. 4) “Start low and go slow,” doing only what it takes to interest you and keep you motivated on your daily/weekly schedule; this can always be modified over time as you refine and/or redefine your goals, desires, and needs. Overnight transformation is NOT what you’re after, but rather some long-term lifestyle changes/inclusions that you can MANAGE as you ease into a new program. And 5) Be patient with yourself and give it some time; psychologists tell us that any activity performed for 21 days becomes a habit, and once you become accustomed to a “fitness lifestyle” for a few weeks and see/feel some results (more energy, bigger clothes, broader shoulders, bigger arms, etc.), your motivation will ultimately fuel your discipline to keep going and commit to your health and fitness for the long haul.
Best wishes to you!
October 27th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Well, it will be interesting to see if I can set a goal of getting exercise regularly for 21 days; maybe that’s a goal I can live with without getting distracted from it. Thanks for the suggestion!! I had rotator cuff surgery lately and am not able to “exercise” other than walking, but before going back to work I did get into a pattern of walking the dog on a 2.5 mile loop near home, and THAT felt great. Maybe just doing THAT for 21 days will get me over the threshold into the “fitness lifestyle” you describe. Thanks.
Perry
December 4th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
You’ve got the right idea! One of the main obstacles for many folks wanting to begin an exercise program is just the simple task of setting aside some regular, routine time for exercise. You’ve already overcome this hurdle by being in a mindset and “pattern” of doing SOMETHING on a regular, routine basis. All that’s needed now is to begin (after you’re cleared by your rotator cuff surgeon) to structure your preferred training modalities (cardio, weights, upper body, lower body, etc.) within the existing time frame that you’ve already established and build from there. That’s when the fun and creativity and constant change-up occurs, which can be very inspiring and motivating.
You’re THINKING right, and it’s very likely that your further actions will follow along the right path.
Nice going!