From a Resolution to a Lifestyle

Felicia Kornegay is a personal trainer, wellness coach, and author of the new book From a Resolution to a Lifestyle. She'll be signing copies of her book on Saturday, February 20th, from 3-4 p.m. at our Morrisville store.

One month into the new year, when many New Year's Resolutions have fallen by the wayside, she gave us some tips on getting motivated, getting back on track, and thinking about fitness as a lifestyle, rather than just a quick fix.

Plan

"We all live busy lives. One of the things I often hear from clients is that they just can’t find the time to work out. When you start a fitness plan, you have to be deliberate. You have to plan. I have clients write out all their current activities, and we look to see what times we can fit fitness activities into their schedule.”

Make Time

"Maybe it’s just ten or twenty minutes. But you can do a lot in ten minutes. You can do stretches, go for a walk, do specific core exercises. The key is getting them to think, 'I only have 20 minutes. What can I do with that?' Rather than 'I only have 20 minutes. I’m not going to do anything.'"

Start slow

"A lot of people make a mistake when they start, wanting to hit it hard and go in full force. They spend an hour in the gym when they’re not ready yet. You have to start off small, make a simple change. Then once it becomes a habit, you build from there.”

Listen to Your Body

"The goal is to get stronger. As your endurance improves, your body will let you know, 'Okay, I can go to the next level.'”

Stick with it, and it will stick!

“I tell clients that it takes 21 days to create a habit, whether it’s a good habit or a bad habit. I work with them to incorporate fitness into their lives, so it's not just a fad or a quick fix."

Recruit Supporters

"One of the most important things is finding what we call an accountability partner. This may not be someone in your home or a close friend. It may be someone you see at the gym.  It’s important that this person is just as motivated as you, if not more motivated than you. You don’t want a person who is going to quit. They will be your cheerleader. They will be there to encourage you on days when you don’t feel like working out: 'Let’s go ahead and get this walk in.'"

Be Ready to Adjust

Sometimes life happens. Some of my clients are new moms. Others have crazy work schedules. Even after you’ve built good habits, life can get in the way. You feel like 'Oh my gosh, everything I’ve worked so hard for has gone out of place.' You need to be able to hit the reset button. Maybe you need to go from three days to two days. You can’t beat yourself up."