The lo-fi Fitness Big Eight A’s

As we work with our clients, we see a common process involved in reaching fitness goals. The lo-fi Fitness philosophy guides our clients in and out of the phases of what we call the Big Eight A’s:

• Awareness. We consider awareness to be the first step to implementing any positive change. Once you’re beginning to think about your present activity level and current condition, we ask you to pay attention to what you already have to do anyway to take care of yourself on a minimal level. You may still be uncertain and not quite ready to change anything in your life today. But you are starting to realize that more physical activity is needed in your life. When it comes to body composition nothing becomes more important than an awareness of what, when and how much you put into your mouth on a given day. Most people significantly underestimate how many calories they consume on a daily basis once they actually track all their food and fluid intake. A great free website that allows you to track your intake is Fitday.
• Attitude. As you begin to realize that some action is necessary to keep your mobility, and not changing your activity level will probably be detrimental to your future health and freedom to move about. Your attitude begins to change from being aware of everyday movements to considering taking some action to add more activity to your life in the name of feeling better.
• Action. You finally begin to take the initiative and self-responsibilty to slowly ramp up your activity level by walking, adding a flight of stairs to your day, or parking a bit further away from your destination. You’re actively taking some action to change for the better by getting your body to move about more frequently.
• Attentiveness. You begin to pay attention to your everyday living activities, the movements you have to perform to continue surviving independently. You become attentive to how you move and work on adding some forethought and grace to things you must do anyway.
• Accountability. You realize that you’re the only person accountable for changing your fitness level, and self-responsibility is the only road available for that change. Once you realize you’re the driver of any fitness changes in your life and there is no one else to blame for your circumstances, adding physical activity to your day will become easier and results are soon to follow.
• Adherence. You begin to realize that it took some time to get out of shape. The process to regain your fitness level requires consistency and adherence to a regular schedule of physical activity. You know it will be a short trip back to ill health and lack of mobility if you return to your previous sedentary lifestyle.
• Admiration. As you progress through a regular routine of physical activity, you gain an appreciation and admiration of the marvels of your own body and its innate desire for movement. Consistent physical activity is required for a normal, healthy mind and body. While your body will take over when its systems are taxed through inactivity and poor diet, it is happiest when it reaches a state of equilibrium or a state of physical and mental balance.
• Acceptance. You accept that adding physical activity to your day will be harder on some days than others and you persevere anyway. You realize that once you begin regularly moving your body, you feel much better than you did when you were sedentary. And you accept the fact that fitness gains must be consistently, actively pursued or they disappear in short order. And that fitness of the mind and body is a never ending pursuit and as soon as you stop chasing fitness your previous gains will quickly evaporate. And we are fairly certain once you get to this stage and savor the taste of your own vitality continuing will become not only automatic but very pleasurable and most fulfilling!