Working out during Movember

Since 2010 I have been making personal goals and in three years since I usually hit about 80% of them. Seeing as how this is a new year, I have made some fitness goals for myself.

• 365 miles run by the end of the year
• 400 crunches a day
• At least 4 workouts a week
• 208 total workouts for the year
• 1/2 or full-marathon
• 15 strict pull ups
• Get down to and maintain 180 lbs

Additionally, both Ashley and I have continued with our healthy eating. Granted, we may slip up from time to time, typically when we are with friends.

Recently I started looking into Jack LaLanne and his fitness abilities. LaLanne worked out for two hours everyday, for his entire life. He was able to accomplish things into his late 70’s and 80’s only we could dream of. The interesting thing about LaLanne was he didn’t have some amazing patented solution. He woke up everyday at 5 am, did strength workouts for 90 minutes, followed by a 30 minute run or swim. He ate healthy, limiting his meat intake to fish and egg-whites. LaLanne lived to 96 years young and was working out until his last days.

What we should take away from LaLanne and his revolution on the fitness world is that fitness is about habit and consistency. We will never get in shape if we keep playing mind games with ourselves. “Well I drank a lot last night, I’ll take today off at the gym.” No doubt I might have said this once or twice in my life. It’s the power of habit that allows for people to reach past the plateaus and accomplish things far greater than we could have imagined.

That’s what I will be focusing on with my fitness goals for 2014, consistency. It’s going to be through consistency and creating a habit that I will stop thinking about my workouts. Also, it’s important to remove the gloating and accomplishment of fitness. I doubt any of us have ever heard someone bragging about how well they brushed their teeth earlier that morning. Well, the same should be said for fitness. Fitness should be something that occurs daily, in whatever capacity, that is as normal as brushing our teeth.

Currently I am maintaining a spreadsheet on my desktop documenting each workout I do. Throughout the year, I will update my progress on these goals. Post any thoughts or wisdom you have when it comes to creating habit in your fitness routine below!