Finding Your Fitness Road Again
By:           Jackie Wright

One commonality that we probably all share is falling off the fitness track occasionally.  Life is dynamic, creating as many twists as turns as our mountain roads in the high country of Colorado.  Relocating, changing jobs, losing a family member, divorce, and financial issues, illness/injury of ourselves or a loved one and significant travel may either cause or contribute to our ability to remain committed, focused and adhering to our fitness program.
 
And, finding our road again is not always a simple task.  Therefore, due to the challenges created by these life changes, it makes sense to prepare for change.  But, how do we do that when we do not often know what the change will be or when it will occur?
 
Using a financial metaphor may be helpful.  Responsible budgeting requires making certain you have enough funds in your savings account to handle the unexpected expenses that will arise in life.  And, when you withdraw funds from the account, you plan to replenish those funds in preparation for the next crisis.  If we deplete our fitness program “account”, with no plans to replenish those “funds”, we may end up “broke”.  Consequently, setting up fitness program plans for the challenges we may face, enables us to respond to our life rather than just reacting to it.  Therefore, whether you have strayed from the fitness road or not, consider following the four strategies featured below and refer to these when life takes a different path that expected.  As always, prior to beginning any exercise program, please consult your physician.
 
Finding Your Road Strategies
 
- For both those cruising along in your fitness program and those just getting back on track, immediately formulate a series of plans that will take into consideration and resolve potential pitfalls.  An example would be that you know you will be traveling on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, so you have a travel exercise plan and a set appointment to begin again once you return.  Travel may seriously sabotage a fitness program.  Therefore, plan ahead to return a day early if possible so that you will not have the excuse of being too tired to make it to your exercise session upon returning.  You may not have as much time on your trip, but you will return ready to step right back into your program.
 
- Create a means for measurement of your results.  Either a simple handwritten journal, on-line downloads from your heart rate monitor or other fitness applications, are essential for tracking progress and staying on the fitness road.  Choose a metric and use it!                 
 
- Seek out fitness programs which are well located, priced for your budget and timely.  Consult with a qualified, certified and experienced fitness professional who will listen to your specific story and then design a program that will consider all you have experienced and what outcomes you are striving to achieve.  Whether this will mean in-home, one-on-one or group training, will depend upon your goals/objectives. 
 
- Visualize how you want to look and feel 365 days from today.  An improvement in physical health, completing a 5K run or bike race, increasing physical/mental energy, happier, able to perform your daily activities fully, playing often, laughing and loving more are all excellent goals that fitness programs may provide, improve or enhance.