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NIFS Healthy Living Blog

How to Succeed with Weight-Loss Resolutions

It’s a new year and many people make a resolution to lose weight. Here are three key points that will help you make your weight-loss resolution successful.

1. Create a Weight-Loss Plan with Short- and Long-Term Goals.

Your goals should be realistic, specific, measurable, and attainable, and can be accomplished in a timely manner—nothing five years down the road. Keep a long-term goal in mind, maybe something like losing a certain number of pounds in six months. But definitely include short-term goals. The short-term goals could be daily, weekly, and even monthly.

weight loss

   For example, three short-term goals could be adding a   
   vegetable to your lunch, practicing portion control by
   measuring out your food, and visiting NIFS to exercise every
   day for an hour. These short-term goals will lead you to the
   long-term goal.

   Not everyone will have the same goals, so create the goals
   based on your individual needs. If you know you tend to
   overeat, make short-term goals related to cutting back on
   certain foods and portion control.

   2. Strive for Consistency in Your Weight-Loss Routine.

Time and time again I meet people who want to lose weight, but something gets in the way. Life happens; they regress or slip up. The secret to overcoming those hang-ups is to bounce back and keep moving forward. Don’t let a few bad days defeat or deflate you. Keep a motivated mindset. Don’t be a yo-yo exerciser who exercises, leaves, and comes back a few months later only to start the whole weight-loss process all over again. It is such a vicious cycle and not a good place to be.

One great way to get past this block is to find a good support system. Whether it’s your spouse, friend, co-worker, or a workout partner you meet at NIFS, you need someone to hold you accountable and call you to find out where you were or ask you about your progress.

3. Refuse to Choose a Defeated Mindset!

It takes hard work and you have to stay focused. Every day is a new day. Wake up with a fresh start and regroup. Don’t ever feel like you have failed. Learn to overcome your obstacles and keep pressing forward. Like the old saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Believe in yourself and you will be successful with your New Year’s resolution of losing weight!

Written by NIFS Health Fitness Specialist Christy Monday. For some extra motivation, learn how NIFS members have achieved their weight-loss and fitness goals here.

Topics: motivation goal setting resolutions weight loss

NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program

It’s that time of year again. The NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program has officially begun!

Each year NIFS hosts a Mini-Marathon Training Program for NIFS members and non-members. The program consists of 14 weeks of in-depth, hands-on fun and memorable training that prepares runners and walkers to complete the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in May. Because there are different pace groups that individuals can join, the training
program is perfect for runners and walkers of all levels.NIFS Mini Marathon Training

The program takes place on Wednesday evenings at 6pm at the NIFS location in downtown Indianapolis and at Cherry Tree Elementary School in Carmel.

Wednesday, January 23, was the official orientation and kick-off for the Mini-Marathon Training Program. Participants at both locations were able to enjoy a race expo with plenty of booths and samples to go around. Some of the booth sponsors were Mudathlon, Whole Foods, Geist Half Marathon and 5K, and Runners Forum. Goodies, samples, shirts, and information packets were distributed to everyone who attended.

After the participants gathered their information and samples, the Runners Forum hosted an educational discussion about proper footwear and appropriate dress when running in colder weather.

The representative from Runners Forum made it clear that all of his employees are very knowledgeable about running and leading an active lifestyle. He encouraged everyone to stop into Runners Forum for all of their running needs because the staff would be able to answer any questions about gear, plus they have a wide variety of items to prepare runners when training for endurance sports. He also mentioned that they are offering a 10% discount to all NIFS members!

Saturday, January 26, Runners Forum hosted a NIFS night from 2 to 4pm at the downtown location across from City Market, and from 6 to 8pm at the Runners Forum Carmel location. This event is exclusive for NIFS members, allowing shoppers to have the undivided attention of the Runners Forum staff members and receive special discounts.

If you have any questions, reach out to Stephanie Greer at sgreer@nifs.org or 317.274.3432.

Written by Tara Deal, NIFS Group Fitness Instructor and author of Treble in the Kitchen.

 

 

Topics: NIFS exercise fitness goal setting running walking marathon training mini marathon half marathon race

Thomas’ Corner: Yoga Is for Muscleheads, Too

yoga and muscles go togetherGive me a rack of dumbbells, some benches, a squat rack, and two hours and I’m in heaven. For some reason, this could be it, every day for the rest of my life and I would be fine. Then again, after roughly 15 years of pounding the weights, certain everyday tasks that require little things like flexibility and balance, which in our youth are taken for granted, become noticeably more and more challenging.

For the record, yoga is not going to make you less of an uber-athlete. In fact, practicing yoga daily can help improve day-to-day functionality, from getting up off the floor to scratching your back. In all seriousness, yoga can benefit even the most fit bodybuilders, weekend warriors, athletes of all ages, and average Joes and jams.

For those muscleheads who would rather die than be caught dead in a yoga studio, there are literally thousands of yoga instructional videos to experience in the comforts of your own cave.

MUSCLEHEADS REJOICE! And evolve.

Topics: Thomas' Corner yoga

Thomas’ Corner: Setting the Bar and Realistic Expectations

results"Rome wasn’t built in a day.” An obvious observation that can transcend most of life’s challenges, I heard that somewhere. So, would that rule make any exceptions for your fitness goals? For “new to fitness” individuals, a major obstacle they must overcome is the reality that instant results are almost impossible to attain and that it takes a little more than six minutes of ab work to be ready for spring break (or your wedding, reunion, etc.).

Outside of hard work and consistency in the gym, to see results, we must factor in not only nutrition, but also gender, age, genetics, health issues, and training styles. Does this make you want to pack your bags? Well, please unpack your bags, friend, because there are some factors that are in your control. Keep coming to the gym; consistency is the key. Along with eating clean and training smart, you should have no problem seeing results―just not tomorrow.

Muscleheads, rejoice and evolve!

Topics: Thomas' Corner motivation