Make it a goal to get fit for life

American motivational speaker, Tony Robbins once said “setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”

The inaugural National Sports Day held over the weekend is a nationwide campaign with the aim to cultivate the adoption of healthy lifestyles among Malaysians.

To many, fitness goals can be tough to achieve.

Studies suggested that people who walk 10,000 steps a day experiences health benefits. Like many of the city dwellers and working professionals, I spend most hours in the office — so on average, I take six thousand steps a day. I am definitely not one of the fittest.

Approximately a year and a half ago, I decided to act on my fitness goal — to incorporate fitness into my lifestyle and be in it for the long run.

At that time, running seems to be the more cost-effective option in comparison to committing to a monthly gym membership subscription.

I didn’t want to set unrealistic goals only to find myself quitting in a few months time, so I took it easy and started small. In the beginning, I set myself up to complete two runs per week. I kept to my routine and made a mental note to focus on meeting my target week after week.

It is important to manage expectations and commit to making incremental improvements rather than pressuring yourself with “I have to train hard to get that six-packs in three months”.

If you are up for kicking start your quest to a healthier living, I would suggest to start small. Block your calendar and stick to the plan. This is especially important when you are just starting out.

Research shows that it will take us between two to eight months to form a new habit. I realised early on that in order to make it work, the rule of thumb is to determine the most effective workout routine to reach my fitness goal.

Then came the other important factor — our nutritional intake. To me, it is not about starving or depriving ourselves from the food we love. It is a matter of finding the right balance — to opt for healthier food options. Pairing an active lifestyle with a healthy eating habit is the key to a healthy living.

We want to look good and feel great about ourselves. And yet most people think that it takes too much work to live a healthy lifestyle. The reality is that we cannot expect a desirable outcome without first putting in some effort.

There are more to gain in making fitness a lifetime commitment. Quoting English poet John Dryden, “We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.”