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.