So, it has now come down to my very last week in Allianz. After working for 7 years, it is a little sad to leave, but I know I am moving on to a field that I am passionate about, so I am excited as well. mixed feelings are always weird. Also, now that I will have more free time on my hand, I wonder whether I will still wake up at 5:30am to head to the gym or would I go at more earthly hours. Well initially, I told everyone that I would be sticking to it, but that was before my trip to India. Since then (I took a 9 day break from working out), I am finding it extremely difficult to re-adapt to my routine. But I guess if I keep doing it, it will eventually come back to me. So I am going to stick with it. Will keep you guys updated on how that goes.
OK, so that’s just a little update on my life, now let’s jump into this weeks post. It’s time once again to review our poll results. This time around, we asked everyone which was more difficult to maintain – an exercise routine or a diet plan. No surprise here, 35 of the 49 respondents said it was more difficult to maintain a diet plan well 14 out of 49 said it was harder to maintain an exercise routine.
The fact is, watching your food is extremely hard and tricky and most people fail to see results because they were not able to stick to their diet plan. Living in a country like Malaysia, where food is just available 24/7 and a culture where people socialize / fraternize around food, its no wonder why many people find this harder than a workout routine. Maintaining a workout is easier for me (that’s why I voted for diet being more difficult). If you have a Personal Trainer, then voila, problem solved. But for those who can’t afford to have one, then it can get challenging. So here are some tips to help you stick to your exercise routine as well as your diet plan.
Sticking with an Exercise Routine
Get some gym buddies – If you can’t afford a personal trainer, get some workout buddies. Workout buddies are an excellent way to stay motivated. For one, you can all motivate each other and keep checking up on each other. Secondly, there is some friendly competition, so that will be a good driver for you to keep working out as you don’t want to be the one slacking off. So go ahead and find some gym buddies.
Set goals – This is true for just about anything in life. If you don’t have a specific goal, you are going to get bored of doing something and eventually you will quit. Imagine driving around in circles with no destination? How long do you think you can do that before you say “screw it”. So set some goals for yourself, and that way you will have a reason to keep working out. The same goes for a diet plan as well. Have some goals and you will have a reason to stick to your diet plan.
Make it a priority – Lots of people tell me they are too busy and that’s why they can’t workout. Have you ever got too busy where you couldn’t take a shower for 3 days? No? Why? Because you make it a priority. Make it a point to set an appointment which cannot be changed. For example, if you decide to workout at 8pm every day, and someone asks you if they can meet up, say NO, you already have another appointment. What I am trying to say is, that people usually choose to trade off their workouts first, before anything else. So just move it up on your list of priorities. I am in bed by 11pm everynight because I want to get up at 5:30am in the morning. So if someone wants to meet me at 10:30pm, I always say, sorry, I can’t meet you that late, I have a very early morning. Most people would oblige, and then sleep at 1am and decide to skip their workout the following morning so that they can make up for loss sleep. So it just comes down to choices.
Sticking with your Diet
Indulgence Plan – I covered this some time back and I have been recommending it lots of people. The fact is, you are going to get bored of eating the same thing everyday and if you don’t have any excape plans, you are in for trouble. Variety is extremely important, so make sure you allow yourself some indulgences. How do you indulge without bursting the buttons in your jeans? Find out more about this and how it can help you stick to your diet plan, by clicking the link below
http://fitnessmalaysiablog.blogspot.com/2010/04/indulgence-plan.html
Moderation is Key – Yes its best to stay away from all the sinful unhealthy food. But every once in awhile, you are going to slip, so its OK. Yes, Roti Canai is bad for you, but hey, every once in a while is OK. Maggi Goreng is also unhealthy, but again, once in awhile is OK. How often do I eat Roti Canai & Mggi Goreng? The last time I ate roti Canai was about 2 months ago. Maggi Goreng – Gosh i can't really remember… maybe 6 or 7 months ago? So if I decided to eat it today, sure, why not. Its OK. Just remember. Do everything in moderation. Sometime ago, I wrote a post on the 90 / 10 philosophy which you can check by clicking the link below.
http://fitnessmalaysiablog.blogspot.com/2009/07/9010-philosophy.html
If you could eat healthily 90% of time and unhealthily 10% of the time, then you will be fine. So don’t fret about being a boy scout about this all the way.
So there you go. Some tips to help you stay on course with your fitness plan and goals. What was your vote for the poll and your reasons for choosing it? Please do share as well as if you have some other tips for others on how to stick with their plan. As usual, look forward to hearing your comments
OK, so that’s just a little update on my life, now let’s jump into this weeks post. It’s time once again to review our poll results. This time around, we asked everyone which was more difficult to maintain – an exercise routine or a diet plan. No surprise here, 35 of the 49 respondents said it was more difficult to maintain a diet plan well 14 out of 49 said it was harder to maintain an exercise routine.
The fact is, watching your food is extremely hard and tricky and most people fail to see results because they were not able to stick to their diet plan. Living in a country like Malaysia, where food is just available 24/7 and a culture where people socialize / fraternize around food, its no wonder why many people find this harder than a workout routine. Maintaining a workout is easier for me (that’s why I voted for diet being more difficult). If you have a Personal Trainer, then voila, problem solved. But for those who can’t afford to have one, then it can get challenging. So here are some tips to help you stick to your exercise routine as well as your diet plan.
Sticking with an Exercise Routine
Get some gym buddies – If you can’t afford a personal trainer, get some workout buddies. Workout buddies are an excellent way to stay motivated. For one, you can all motivate each other and keep checking up on each other. Secondly, there is some friendly competition, so that will be a good driver for you to keep working out as you don’t want to be the one slacking off. So go ahead and find some gym buddies.
Set goals – This is true for just about anything in life. If you don’t have a specific goal, you are going to get bored of doing something and eventually you will quit. Imagine driving around in circles with no destination? How long do you think you can do that before you say “screw it”. So set some goals for yourself, and that way you will have a reason to keep working out. The same goes for a diet plan as well. Have some goals and you will have a reason to stick to your diet plan.
Make it a priority – Lots of people tell me they are too busy and that’s why they can’t workout. Have you ever got too busy where you couldn’t take a shower for 3 days? No? Why? Because you make it a priority. Make it a point to set an appointment which cannot be changed. For example, if you decide to workout at 8pm every day, and someone asks you if they can meet up, say NO, you already have another appointment. What I am trying to say is, that people usually choose to trade off their workouts first, before anything else. So just move it up on your list of priorities. I am in bed by 11pm everynight because I want to get up at 5:30am in the morning. So if someone wants to meet me at 10:30pm, I always say, sorry, I can’t meet you that late, I have a very early morning. Most people would oblige, and then sleep at 1am and decide to skip their workout the following morning so that they can make up for loss sleep. So it just comes down to choices.
Sticking with your Diet
Indulgence Plan – I covered this some time back and I have been recommending it lots of people. The fact is, you are going to get bored of eating the same thing everyday and if you don’t have any excape plans, you are in for trouble. Variety is extremely important, so make sure you allow yourself some indulgences. How do you indulge without bursting the buttons in your jeans? Find out more about this and how it can help you stick to your diet plan, by clicking the link below
http://fitnessmalaysiablog.blogspot.com/2010/04/indulgence-plan.html
Moderation is Key – Yes its best to stay away from all the sinful unhealthy food. But every once in awhile, you are going to slip, so its OK. Yes, Roti Canai is bad for you, but hey, every once in a while is OK. Maggi Goreng is also unhealthy, but again, once in awhile is OK. How often do I eat Roti Canai & Mggi Goreng? The last time I ate roti Canai was about 2 months ago. Maggi Goreng – Gosh i can't really remember… maybe 6 or 7 months ago? So if I decided to eat it today, sure, why not. Its OK. Just remember. Do everything in moderation. Sometime ago, I wrote a post on the 90 / 10 philosophy which you can check by clicking the link below.
http://fitnessmalaysiablog.blogspot.com/2009/07/9010-philosophy.html
If you could eat healthily 90% of time and unhealthily 10% of the time, then you will be fine. So don’t fret about being a boy scout about this all the way.
So there you go. Some tips to help you stay on course with your fitness plan and goals. What was your vote for the poll and your reasons for choosing it? Please do share as well as if you have some other tips for others on how to stick with their plan. As usual, look forward to hearing your comments
2 comments:
Kasey: its similar to fried noodles. Its instant noodles that are supposed to be in soup, but its fried like fried noodles. You should try it. It tastes awesome.
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