Fall Fitness Goals: Program Guidelines

Fall is a time when LOTS of people are starting to make fitness goals and I want to make sure that you reach those goals.  You probably read my blog post from last week where I told you how to set reasonable goals for yourself.

Now I would like to share my Top 10 Fall Fitness Program Guidelines.  Follow these guidelines and you will be well on your way to seeing serious results this fall!

1: Aerobic exercise: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise three to five days/week for 20-60 minutes each session to maximize fitness gains and fat loss.

2: Resistance exercise: Regular strength training workouts are critical to maximize fat loss, build bone density, improve posture, develop muscle tone and slow down the aging process. Luckily, you don’t need to spend a lot of time in the weight room.

3: Eat 5 small meals and snacks each day. Studies indicate that when people eat more regularly throughout the day, they are less likely to overeat or indulge in less-healthy choices.

4: Drink five 16-ounce glasses of water every day. Our body is 50-60 percent water, and when we are dehydrated, our body and its organs and systems don’t function at their optimal level.

5: Focus on what you should be eating instead of what you shouldn’t be eating. Ensure you consume five vegetable and three fruit servings every day.

6: Practice the 80:20 rule. You can’t expect to be perfect for the rest of your life, and setting these types of high expectations will definitely set you up for failure and feelings of inadequacy.

7: Limit your alcohol intake: Alcohol poses a number of problems. It is high in calories and lacking in nutrient value.

8: Increase your daily activity: Try to think of ways that you can be more active throughout your day without having to actually exercise.

9: Try not to eat large amounts of food past 8 p.m. Eating late at night often goes hand-in-hand with high-fat snacks and overeating.

10: Keep an activity and food log. Record your daily exercise and what and how much you eat.

For more details on each of these tips read my article in the Columbian “Top 10 Strategies to Energize Your Fall Fitness Program.”

Yours in Health & Fitness,
Sherri McMillan

 

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