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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
The R.I.G.H.T Exercise Program TIPS FOR FINDING THE BEST FITNESS ROUTINE FOR YOU.
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t’s the time of year where you’re bombarded with ads for local gyms, infomercials that promise to get you in the best shape of your life and commercials touting effortless weight loss. With countless exercise programs out there, how do you know if yours is the right one? This is a challenging question, one that could be answered several different ways. I like to remind clients that if you're exercising at all, you're on the right path. Still, there’s a better way to tell whether your exercise routine is appropriate. I like to begin with the question, "Is my exercise program R.I.G.H.T. for me?"
Realistic Ask yourself whether your routine is realistic.
40 INSIDE COLUMBIA DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022
If you’re a beginner, do your exercises match your fitness level? Consider whether the time commitment is realistic. You might have every intention to exercise for one hour, six days a week, but this could be setting you up for failure. Instead, try to incorporate your workouts into your existing routine. Take the time to put your exercise on the calendar. Once on paper, it will be easier to see whether your plan is obtainable.
Intrinsic motivation After you’ve determined that your exercise program is realistic, look at whether you’re intrinsically motivated to be successful with this plan in the long term. There’s a wealth of evidence to support the fact that internal motivators keep individuals on track with exercise. External motivators, like social pressure, guilt or even monetary rewards, have been shown to encourage short-term
BY MASON STEVENS success but long-term failure. The key is to exercise for reasons that are personally fulfilling. When creating your program choose activities that you enjoy and that you can complete with a sense of mastery. If you’re exercising for anyone other than yourself, it is difficult to stay motivated indefinitely.
Goals Goals are also important. Without goals you’re more likely to lose focus and direction. It is easy for your routine to feel mundane or stale if you’re not working toward an end result. As mentioned, these goals should be realistic and personally meaningful. It is also helpful for goals to be specific and measurable so you can track your progress as you approach your target. Finally, these are most useful when they’re progressive, starting with shortterm and working up to long-term goals.
