You bought the latest exercise equipment, your dumbbells are neatly stacked in the family room, and you own several exercise videos, now it's time to get motivated. To start, you should think about your goals and what it is that you are trying to achieve. Are you trying to lose weight? Strengthen your muscles and joints? Improve your endurance? Think about what you would like to accomplish with your exercise program, then decide what types of activities would help you reach those goals. If you need help figuring this out, speak with an exercise instructor or personal trainer. Consider some of the following strategies to stay motivated at home
- Schedule your workouts. Write down your exercise time in your daily planner, or post a note on the refrigerator. Treat your workout like a nonnegotiable appointment
- Install a mirror. This will allow you to check form.
- Set aside space. Keep your exercise tubing, free weights, stability balls, exercise tapes, and anything else you may need handy
- Keep a workout log. An exercise log allows you to keep track of your progress, make adjustments over time, and monitor your success
- Evaluate your progress. Test your fitness level when you begin your home exercise program, and retest yourself about every two months. Chart these results in your workout log. For more information, see the enclosed attachment for instructions on four easy at home tests. (Step test to measure aerobic endurance, push up test to measure upper body strength, sit up test to test for abdominal strength and squat test to measure for lower body strength). Be sure to see your physical before beginning any testing or fitness program)
Make exercise a habit by planning to exercise when it is most convenient for you everyday!
Home Fitness Testing PDF
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