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Five tips for jump starting your workout

January 18, 2017

In an effort to enrich the lives and work of our USI community, we've begun a series of Five Tips, providing useful information you can incorporate on the job or at home. We've once again reached into the fountain of knowledge provided by our own faculty and staff. If you have useful tips to share for this series, you can submit them for consideration.

These tips come from Sandi Davis, program coordinator in Recreation, Fitness and Wellness.

1. Start slow and get a doctor's note.

You don't want to jump in too deep, especially if you haven't been active recently. Make sure you're healthy enough to start a program. It might be a good idea to double check with your doctor, depending on the lifestyle you led before starting.

2. Build a support system.

The more supportive your surroundings are, the more likely you will stick with it. Engage family and friends. If you have kids, you don't have to work out in the gym; it can be at home, on a bike trail, on a playground or wherever. If you prefer group settings, join a fitness class and get to know the people there. You're going to have those days when you don't want to work out, but if your partner is "gung-ho- to-go," that will encourage you to go and put in more effort. 

3. Set SMART goals.

S = Specific, significant
M = Measurable, meaningful
A = Attainable, Achievable
R = Realistic, relevant
T = Timely, trackable

You can say your goal is to be healthier, but unless you're looking at specific measurements like body fat percentage, waist circumference or something you can tangibly measure, it won't be as effective or efficient as it could be.  Goals should mean something to you and be something you want to achieve. You have to know where you're starting to know where you want to go.

Try not to set goals you won't be able to reach or that are unhealthy. For example, if you just had surgery on your knees or back, and your goal is to run a marathon in six months, it's probably not going to happen. But if you say in a year I'd like to do a running 5K, that's probably attainable. Sometimes you can set a big picture and then break it down into smaller goals. Don't try to lose more than two to three pounds per week.

I try to remind people that one of the ways to relieve stress is to work out. It's not meant to create more stress, and it should help not hinder you. Everyone's schedule is different, so figure out what works for you and your family.

4. Don't overdo it.

You've got to listen to your body. If you're sick or fighting a cold and your body is worn out, a day of rest might be what you need. Or maybe you were supposed to be going hard that day, but you're so tired and fatigued, maybe an easy walk is the best thing for you. The more active you are, and the more you get to know your body, the easier it will be to assess what to do, or not to do, on the days you need a break.

5. Keep it interesting.

Do something different. Go outside, ride a bike or take a class. Keeping the same routine is better than nothing. However, you're going to see results faster if your body doesn't know what's coming at it. Change it up. You will hit plateaus in your workout and, to get off that plateau, you have to shock your system by doing something different. Change your routine every six to 10 weeks.

USI's Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center offers free fitness consultations and one on one personal training. For more information call 812-461-5268 or visit the website.

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