Be a Fitness Mentor

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Yep, you can be a fitness mentor!

Are you one of the lucky few fitness fanatics?  You have no problem getting up every morning and getting to the gym for your workout or your early morning run.  You’ve been exercising for years and couldn’t imagine ever quitting.  When you’re on vacation or on a business trip, you always book at a hotel that offers a fitness gym so you don’t get off track.  You exercise 5 plus times per week and it’s never a problem and in fact, sometimes, you have to really discipline yourself to take a rest day.  Sedentary, couch potatoes watch you with envy wondering how you do it!

Were you always so disciplined?  Probably not.  Think back to when you first started exercising.  Do you remember how it felt?  You may have felt a little awkward or clumsy.  You may have been really stiff and sore the next day.  It may have taken you a little while to get into a routine and feel comfortable with what you were doing.  You may have hated every second of every workout!

When did exercise change from a chore to a necessity, to a desire?

When and how did you get hooked?  As personal trainers, it’s our job to get new clients to the point where they’ve caught the exercise “bug”.  This is when clients stop complaining about how much exercise hurts and how difficult it is to stick to their program and instead, start commenting on how exercise makes them feel so good and how they find they need exercise to de-stress, find energy or be more productive at work.

Unfortunately, most people never get hooked on exercise.  They give up before their body starts to experience these wonderful feelings associated with the exercise “high”.  Within 3 months, 80% of new exercisers have dropped out never getting a chance to take their exercise program to the next level.  Scientists don’t know exactly what differentiates those new exercisers who quit and those who succeed but we do know that the first few months are a critical stage.  During this time, a new exerciser needs a ton of support.  On their own, it’s so easy to throw in the towel.  But if they have friends, family or a personal trainer helping them with their pursuit towards a healthier lifestyle, they will be more likely to succeed.

For those of you veteran exercisers- those of you who’ve made it and succeeded with exercise – we have a challenge for you.  Choose one person in your life – a friend, a parent, a sibling, a partner, a child, a co-worker, anyone who has expressed a desire to get fit – and take them under your wings and help them to get fit. 

• You can share with them some of the obstacles you’ve overcome. 
• You could introduce them to new, fun and exciting activities.  
• You could schedule one or more workouts every week with them for the first 3 months until they slowly develop some independence and can start to wean away from you.  
• You can share healthy recipes.  
• You could register for a program or clinic together.  
• Maybe you could both sign up for something neither of you have ever tried before – that will remind you what it’s like to be a beginner again!  
• You could sign each other up to compete in a fun run or walk together. 
• You could both consult with a personal trainer and do partner training at a reduced rate for each of you. 

There are so many ways you can help out!

Many of us have business mentors; well, why not be a fitness mentor?!  You’ll feel so good that you’re contributing and making a difference to someone’s life.  If you can get your prodigy to the point where they’re hooked on exercise for life, they’ll be forever grateful!  So, this is a challenge to all of you avid exercisers out there.  All I’m asking is for you to be a support system for just one person.  Can you imagine if each of us takes on this challenge?  Our society will take a large step in the direction of improved health and quality of life.  We’ll change the world – one person at a time!

On that note – our Girlfriends Half Marathon is on October 13^th.  Encourage a girlfriend to walk or run it with you and help raise money for Breast Cancer research.  Early Bird rates until early September.

Sherri McMillan, M.Sc. has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for over 25 years and has received numerous industry awards including International Personal Trainer and Fitness Presenter of the Year. She is the author of five books including “Go For Fit – the Winning Way to Fat Loss” and “Fit over Forty” and is the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs.  She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver and can be seen running, hiking or cycling with her two children, Brianna and Jackson.  She can be reached at www.nwPersonalTraining.com or www.ShapeupwithSherri.com

Note:  As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a 2 week pass at her world-class training studio to help get you started.  Contact 360.574.7292 for more details.