Hitting the boredom threshold all by our lonesomes

Hitting the boredom threshold all by our lonesomes

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A couple of editions ago, Jeff and Heidi related how the watchful
eye and soothing (sometimes reprimanding) words of a personal
trainer were what kept them on the straight and narrow as their
fitness program continued.

With trainer Diding Waluyo from Quantum Athletic Club in
Kuningan, South Jakarta, at their side, they persevered, despite
the small gains made in the initial month of the program.

Well, late November and early December has been even tougher,
for a number of reasons. Jeff took some leave, during which time
he traveled, indulged himself quite a bit when it came to trying
tasty new food and gave little thought (except for guilty ones)
to his fitness program. When he returned to work, he dealt with
some other guilty feelings about making sure that everything was
running smoothly in the office.

Heidi, meanwhile, has had the fasting month of Ramadhan and an
intensive in-house training program distract her from her good
intentions. Another problem is that Diding has also been sick,
meaning that Jeff and Heidi have sometimes had to basically go it
alone, with a little help from the other trainers.

Boredom, unfortunately, is creeping in.

Here are a few tips to stay on track when thinking about
fitness becomes a yawn.

Act Natural: First, don't think of a new program as a
temporary change in your lifestyle. If you want to make it work,
and you want to get/stay fit, then it has to become just another
part of your day, like taking lunch or stopping off at the ATM.

Find ways to fit the program into your schedule. If, like
Jeff, a morning workout becomes impossible because of work
commitments, then plan to hit the treadmill later, in the
afternoon or early evening. Or, use your lunch break for a quick
walk around the office, including a few flights of stairs.

Change is Good: Don't do the same program day in, day out.
Inevitably, it's going to get stale pretty quickly and you will
be finding excuses (oops, broke a nail) not to continue going to
the gym. If today is 50 minutes on the treadmill, vary what you
do tomorrow, either with weights and/or a hit on the squash
court. The next session may include a swim and a 20-minute jog.
It's important to find out what works, so consult with your
trainer.

Missed Communication: Back to the last point. It's easy to get
crossed lines and for miscommunication to occur when you are
forced to cancel a session. Talk about your difficulties if there
really are scheduling programs (no lame excuses allowed).

But if it's not working for you or your trainer (and that
includes the feeling that your trainer is not really taking you
seriously), then you should express those feelings. Or move on,
regardless of how impressive the fitness facilities are. After
all, a wad of money is a terrible thing to waste.

Likewise, your trainer has the right to tell you to pull your
socks up and get with the program, or stop wasting their time.

Spice of Life: Putting a little variety into your program also
includes the nutrition part. If you deny yourself all those
little treats, even if, like Jeff, you are seriously overweight,
then it's likely you are going to blow your nutritional program
anyway. Jeff is including lots of spices and herbs, such as
garlic and chili, to add a bit of oomph to his dishes.

Eat healthy, but once in a while include something "sinful",
like a piece of chocolate or a couple of cookies. If you do have
to go to a function where you know there will be a lot of
temptations, such as a wedding party, then eat something small
but nutritious, like a salad or high-fiber cereal, shortly before
you leave. Drinking lots of water will also fill you up.