Workout Programs
Losing Body Fat
Although many people decide to implement workout programs, to shed unwanted pounds, or just to keep fit, many ultimately fail due to a lack of planning, organization, or just plain cheating on their schedule. Like any other
project management, your workout programs must include these three elements in order for you to succeed. Here are some tips on how you can reach your goals.
Keeping a workout log is essential. A workout log will keep you honest. It also serves to journalize patterns which are either detrimental or supportive to your purpose. This doesn't need be some fancy book designed just for this purpose. A small spiral notebook does the job. So what sort of information do you need to keep track of?
Here's where organization and planning come in to play. Before you ever begin your workout programs, you need to know what you want to get out of your workouts, what your workout routine will include, and what days and times you schedule them for. So you'll want to dedicate the first page of your workout log to listing each of these items for easy reference. The second page is where you begin your workout log.
On line 1, write the date and time of your first scheduled workout. Consider each scheduled workout as an absolute must-do. Sure, unavoidable schedule changes may come up, such as an emergency toothache or a sick child that needs your undivided attention. Reasons that aren't absolutely necessary obligations are better known as excuses. Don't fall prey to excuses. If you do, note the reason in your workout log book, slap yourself on the wrist and either try to squeeze in a makeup session, or write it off as a learning experience.
Take note that if your workout schedule takes place outside of your home, at the gym or anywhere else, it's automatically easier to find excuses. “I don't feel like getting in the car and driving all the way across town ...” is the classic example. This is perhaps why the 8 minute workout programs tend to be more successful. It's hard to find a reason you can't fit 8 short minutes into your busy schedule.
As you complete each scheduled workout, leave a spot in your workout log to check it off. Another success!
Dedicate one page to each week of your workout program log book. This leaves you space on each page to note what went right and what didn't go as planned. For example, let's say you had a legitimate reason to miss one of your sessions. Jot it down. This is useful information as time passes. You might start to see a pattern. Maybe Wednesday just never seems to work. You may need to reorganize your workout program to avoid missing future sessions. On the other hand, you might see a pattern of too many excuses, leading you astray from your goals. Remedy this and you're back on track. If you're on a diet as well, note any temptations in which you indulged. Again, you're looking for patterns which you can quickly correct.
At the end of each week, weigh yourself after that week's last workout routine. Weighing every single day doesn't help your cause. Once a month, get out the tape measure and measure those critical points. The waistline, hips, thighs, and arms are ones you'll want to keep track of, monitoring your progress.
Good planning is all it takes for successful workout programs. All that's left is keeping your workout schedule as best you can and making those workout log entries!
