Oxygen news: Fitness goals 'should be long and short-term'
People using portable oxygen to improve their fitness may be interested in one expert's advice to set both long and short-term goals.
John Herrick, a personal trainer from Club Fit, explained to US news provider the Yorktown Patch this helps individuals reach their aims because they will be motivated by the approach of each smaller target, helping them on their way to eventually reaching the level they want to achieve overall.
"People lose sight of the big picture if your goal is six months or a year away," he stated. "That is why short-term goals help to keep us on track."
He also urged fitness fanatics to set realistic targets, which could mean aiming to lose a pound a week or a five km marathon, because overestimating what is possible could set individuals up for failure.
One way to stay motivated and stick to a regime to achieve short-term goals is to make sure they involve doing something enjoyable.
For instance, Mr Herrick said he plays basketball and gives himself targets around that so he has fun while improving his fitness levels.
"A short-term goal that I find most individuals [consider] easy to keep relies on you doing better every time you workout," he added.
It may also be easier to stick to fitness goals if people watch what they eat and recruit someone else to workout with them.
Mr Herrikck also pointed out that being "overzealous" can be a problem for those who want to create a sustainable exercise programme.
"We need to make sure we challenge ourselves but in a safe and realistic manner," he recommended. "A lot of people don't return to the gym because of injury. Pushing themselves without proper guidance can lead to this."
Exercise expert for the De-Stress Diet Charlene Hutsebaut recently advised individuals to start slowly and work up as this will create a sense of achievement and mean the fitness regime is sustainable.
Posted by Jenny Richards
20/01/2012 17:00:06
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