Four Questions

I think that often times when someone decides they're going to "get in shape" they simply join whichever gym is most convenient or cheapest and follow whatever restrictive fad diet has popped up. And for some people, this method works. For many others, however, this leads to issues like overexertion, boredom, anxiety, binging and, ultimately, quitting.

There is another way. I like to ask people to look at and think about the following four questions to help them get started:

1. What do you want to look like?
2. How do you want to feel?
3. What do you want to be able to do?
4. What are you willing to sacrifice for it?

What do you want to look like?

This question is perhaps the most vain of the four but I don't think there are many people who exercise without at least some hope of changing their physical appearance. I personally think there is nothing wrong with seeking to alter how you look. Do you want bigger shoulders or arms? Do you want a shapely "backside"? Do you want abs? Are you hoping to gain muscle? Lose fat? The answer to these types of questions will change what specific exercises you ought to do. You can't avoid resistance training (either with weights or your own body) if you hope to grow or accentuate muscle mass. You may see someone jogging for hours every week on a treadmill who wishes her glutes and legs looked more like a figure model's. She might not know that the figure model does squats and deadlifts regularly. These questions will also largely determine your nutrition plan. You can't hope to lose fat and eat a calorie surplus. You can't gain muscle if you're eating too little protein. Again, it's important to know what you want to look like.

How do you want to feel?

This one is a little bit harder to measure. I think this has a lot to do with nutrition. I know if I include lots of vegetables and high protein levels in my diet I feel fuller longer and generally healthier. I could eat the same amount of calories or macronutrients with junk food but I'd feel hungry and sluggish. I like to feel light and energetic. I also like to experience freedom in how I train. I don't mean free to change exercises on a whim but freedom of movement. Am I able to move with relatively ease between gymnastics and weightlifting? Can I help someone move without worrying about my grip, back or heart giving out? Can I go on a hike or a swim? That freedom of movement is one of the main drivers for my diverse approach to exercise.

What do you want to be able to do?

Sometimes I think when people think of exercise they see either a weight room or a row of treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes. A few more perhaps see a studio for yoga or aerobics or other classes. If those options work for you, great! But the world of movement, exercise, training and physical culture extends so much further beyond that. Another reason I take such a diverse approach to movement is because there are so many interesting activities to engage in. My son attends a local American Ninja Warrior gym called the Ninja Warehouse. They've got parkour, obstacle training and crazy grip strength challenges. It's outside of the typical gym atmosphere and it might just be fun and challenging enough to get you to stick with it. Another reason to determine what you want to be able to do is it determines what, where and how often you train. I'm a little obsessed with handstands and I know that in order to work effectively on my balance, I need to train handstands nearly everyday. Getting stronger in the deadlift, on the other hand, might actually mean training a variety of lifts to attack weak points. Once you understand what you want to be able to do, you can start to create a plan that you'll enjoy.

What are you willing to sacrifice for it?

This question can be posed many ways: How much pain are you willing to endure? (In the form of hard work, tedious repetitions and the like) What things are you willing to give up? (Out-of-control eating, an hour of sleep, closely following sports, etc.) Additionally, what are you not willing to give up? (Family time, job, pleasure reading, TV shows, sugar) No matter what your goal is there will likely be something you have to trade in order to achieve it. If you want six-pack abs, you will likely need to eat fewer calories. If you want to train for an Iron Man, you will likely sacrifice some sleep or some family time. If you aren't committed to your goal, you probably won't give up what you need to in order to achieve it. And that's okay! I like to ask this question so people can see what it will take to get where they want to be.

You can determine and take control of so many things related to your health and fitness. you just have to sit (or squat) down and figure it out. The more specific your goal is the more specific your planning will have to be. Feel free to ask me about it if you think I can help. Have fun.