Getting Started: Discovering Your Options

options abound

poppies | photo by Andrew Hyde

Last week we talked about defining fitness and what your personal internal goals for fitness are. Today I want to talk about uncovering your options.

And by options, I simply mean, what are the ways you can reach your fitness goals? A lot of people think that in order to get fit, their only option is to sign up for a gym membership, hire a personal trainer and go pump iron or run on a treadmill three or four times a week.

That’s not true. It’s one option. But decidedly not the option.

I’m here to tell you there are literally TONS of options out there. And it’s going to be different for everyone. The approach you take toward gaining fitness is going to entirely depend on your definition of fitness and your personal vision.

understanding yourself

Before you can create fitness plan and start a routine, it’s helpful to understand yourself, your preferences and what motivates you. It’s my firm belief that working out needs to be not only effective, but fun.

cooling off after the pike's peak marathon (2009)

I mean, think about it... you’re (potentially) spending a lot of time to maintain and increase your health and fitness. And one of the biggest challenges people identified in my survey* last month was a lack of time.

It’s easier to make time for something that’s fun, right? Right. It’s easier to stay motivated to do something you actually enjoy. (What a concept!) So let’s focus on discovering those options that will work for you.

I do want to note, however, that working out isn’t always fun. Sweating (or freezing) and huffing and puffing and working hard is a type of fun that some folks might not actually define as “fun.” Fair enough. But my thought is that if we follow the 80/20 rule, we can find something that’s more fun than not (like at least 80% fun), and helps get you through that not-so-fun part (the dreaded other 20%) of working out.

Because I’m a life coach, I prefer to spend more time asking questions than offering up advice. Why? Because I believe that by asking the right kinds of questions, you’ll come up with the answers yourself. You’ll find solutions that fit you much better than I, or anyone else, can.

So let’s get started, shall we?

the questions

stand up paddleboarding (SUP) at anini beach

Are you a solitary personality type or do you tend to be pretty social? Maybe you prefer working out on your own. Or maybe you enjoy group activities where you can meet new people, or increase time spent with your current set of friends. Maybe it’s a little bit of each.

I worked with a client who was finding it difficult to motivate herself to go to the gym and run on the treadmill. “It’s so boring,” she commented. After asking her this question, she realized she really enjoyed being around other people. She stopped spending the majority of her time on the treadmill and instead began to attend a weight-lifting class—and LOVED it. She ended up doubling her time in the gym.

A relatively simple, but incredibly significant insight was revealed that resulted in a dramatic change in her attitude toward working out. It’s not that she didn’t know she was more motivated by social experiences, but that she simply hadn’t thought of her workouts with the perspective.

Are you you looking to begin something new? Sometimes we are attracted to brand new challenge, and at others we're happy doing something that’s comfortable. The tried and true. We feel confident and competent.

Switching up road running with trail running can offer a new spin on something familiar. Taking up kayaking or learning how to swim can engage new energy. Think about different sports or activities in your area... what strikes your fancy? What makes you smile? Which ones do you find intriguing?

What doesn’t sound fun? Sometimes knowing what we don’t want to do can be as helpful as finding what we do like.

I offer a bit of caution in this beginning stage, though, to keep your mind open. Case in point: I hated running at first. 5Ks were torture (I always finished in the back of the pack and got easily discouraged.) It took a long-distance running goal to introduce me to my love of running (I actually find my flow about 40 minutes into a run). So awareness is good, but open minds and trying new things can reveal passions and talents you never knew existed.

hiking with friends on kaua'i

Are you a self-starter? Do you prefer to work with an instructor or trainer? Would you be more likely to do something if others were counting on you? Think about how you get the things on your to-do list done. Is it because it needs to get done and you find a way? Or do you want to get i done and enjoy the process? Is it because someone’s waiting for it? Expecting it? Are you more likely to meet your own deadlines or someone else’s?

What is your environment like where you live/spend time? Are you in the city? Near mountains? Is your town bike-friendly? Do you prefer the indoors? Or enjoy spending time outside?

Knowing how far the trails are (or the closest gym or pool) can help give you an idea of additional options. If you live near mountains or open space, chances are there are activities to enjoy and groups to join outdoors.

Do you tend to work well within a structure or on a schedule? Or do you find yourself seeking more flexibility? Some of us do really well knowing that we have to run 5 miles on Tuesday morning and 10 on Saturday. Others prefer to schedule a 5-mile and 10-mile run “sometime during the week.” What resonates with you?

How much time is your health worth? It’s an important question to ask yourself. (And notice I didn’t ask how much time you have... ‘cause duh! I’m not falling into that trap.) Most of us don’t have spare hours a day. But we do manage to make time for things that are important to us. We commit to ourselves and adjust our schedules. This could encompass an entire blog post by itself (and likely will sometime soon), but for now, think about ways that you can shift your schedule.

Be creative. Instead of going out for drinks after work, is there a place to meet and enjoy a group run in the park? A meet-up at the local climbing gym (or crag)? An exercise class? A bike ride? Or maybe you skip that mid-afternoon coffee break and go for a walk instead.

What’s worked for you in the past? What hasn’t? Take some time to break down your past attempts. There are often a lot of really important lessons hidden in our past behaviors. What motivated you? What got in the way? Was it an injury? A life change? Did it just fizzle out? Or was your goal lacking structure? (Or maybe there was too much structure.)

Your lesson will be different from others, but my guess is there’s a lot of useful knowledge stored in your brain about what works for you and what doesn’t.

revisiting your goal

my new mountain bike

Remember your definition of fitness from last week? What level of fitness are you looking for? What’s opened up for you today? Have you learned anything new? Do you have more clarity around your goals and ways to begin to move toward them?

Keeping your vision in front of you is a valuable tool to utilize and keep handy as you move forward. Increasing your awareness of the options out there increases your chances of finding what works for you. Remember... this is your journey.

Choosing a path that’s not in synergy with your definition and your goals can lead to frustration, discouragement and inaction. So open up your mind, give some thought to the questions above and explore the possibilities before you.

How will fitness fit into your life?

up next

climbing in boulder canyon

Once you have a better idea of your preferences with regards to working out (which hopefully you’ll have after answering the questions above), we’ll start narrowing down a plan. Will you take up a new sport? Join a gym (what kind)? Recommitting to, or refining, an old goal?

I mentioned above that change begets change. When we seek to add something to our life, other areas are automatically altered as well. We’ll also talk about your investment potential—as in physical, financial and mental investments—towards your fitness vision.

Have a great week and I love hearing your comments about what these questions bring up for you. Feel free to post them below, on facebook, or on your own blog (such as Katie’s response to last week’s post). Your feedback helps me understand you a little better and is always welcome.

*psst, you can still take the survey if you haven’t already. I’ve received some really helpful feedback from the initial respondents, and would definitely appreciate more feedback!

Comments

[Cassie]

Great post Amy! I love the questions. I guess I had never thought about asking myself some of them! I like the one about being a self starter. I instantly answered 'yes', and then I realized that even though I will go for a run without prompting, I have a hard time pushing myself to go harder without outside intervention. So for me I have to realize that for regular workouts, I don't mind being on my own, but for the harder workouts I've got to have someone with me to make it worth it!

[Amy C]

Hi Cassie. That's awesome! And exactly what the questions are designed to do... elicit new insight to help us keep moving forward. Thanks for illustrating such a great example. :-)