I had the pleasure to interview Dr. James Anessi, of the Atlanta YMCA last year. He has identified five stages every would-be fitness person must go through. They are . . .

1. Pre-contemplation: the period of time before you start thinking about an exercise plan.

Yes ~ this means you’re a couch potato and you’re happy being a couch potato. Lunges and crunches have not even entered your mind . . . yet.

2. Contemplation: when the person has a desire to start an exercise program and starts thinking about it.

You’ve noticed a little bulge over the belt buckle, or it takes a little extra shimmy to get into your nice clothes (you know, the one’s without an elastic waistband). You start thinking, “Maybe I should put down the half gallon of ice cream and think about going to the gym.”

3. Preparation: the third stage when a person starts researching what type of exercise they’d like to do, maybe buys a fitness magazine or book, or even purchases a gym membership but never actually goes.

This means you’re here, right now, on this site, reading this post and getting information.  Maybe you’ve bought a fitness magazine, maybe you’ve perused the Weight Watchers site but haven’t joined yet. 

4. The fourth stage: Action.

You have walked into the gym and hopped on the treadmill! You have set up a workout schedule, you’ve thrown out the junk food, and you’ve found a friend to go walking with twice a week. You have gone out and bought yourself a cute workout outfit or brand new sneakers. You know you’ll be swapping it for a smaller, cuter outfit in just a few weeks or newer sneakers to replace your worn out pair.

5. The final stage and the trickiest one: Maintenance.

According to Dr. Anessi, the first six months are fairly easy going when you’re trying to reach a fitness or weight goal. After that, you’re switching from a routine to a habit. It’s easy to slip up at this stage, and joining social media forums such as this site is a good way to keep your commitments going and convert them into a way of life. I hope this helps you identify the stages you’ll be going through as you strive to reach your fitness, weight, and health goals.

Please feel free to post your thoughts!

Thanks,

Lisa

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