One of the goals of the 5K is to serve as a motivational tool for participants to adopt healthy, active lifestyles.
Large January crowds in gyms and fitness centers all over the country mark the annual national obsession with
"getting in shape" as a New Year's resolution. But as the weeks go by, those crowds disperse as more and more
people fall back into their old routines.
Below are tips from a veteran Piscataway fancy feather dancer on how to get away from the temporary notion
of "getting in shape" and instead move toward adopting a permanent change in health and fitness. They should be
followed in the order they are presented:
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Adjust your mindset, Part 1: Extend your timeline. Most people are accustomed to starting the new year with 4 - 6 week fitness and diet programs.
You need to adjust your mindset, and realize that a permanent change in your health habits is not going to happen
in just a few weeks or even a few months. Getting healthy may feel like a sprint, but STAYING healthy is a marathon.
Be ready to commit to a full year of gradual adjustments to your eating and exercise habits to ensure they stick.
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Adjust your mindset, Part 2: Forget "Boot Camp" Routines. Anything that forces drastic, immediate changes in your eating,
exercise, sleep, or work habits is a 'boot camp' routine, and should be avoided like the plague. If you're accustomed
to waking up at 8AM, do not start waking up everyday at 4:30 a.m. to hit the gym; you will exhaust yourself. If you're
used to a 3,000 calorie diet, do not slash your calories down to 1,500 as part of your diet plan; it'll trigger a
starvation response in your body, causing it to store as many calories as possible instead of shedding them.
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Establish your baseline. You can't set fitness goals if you don't know where you are today. This is one
of the most time-consuming and tedious steps, but it is one of the most important, and you can get it done in
just a couple of days.
- Visit your doctor and get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and other vital statistics measured.
- Buy a weight/bodyfat scale and weigh yourself, and calculate your BMI.
- Take measurements of your waist, hips, arms, neck, chest, thighs, and calves.
- Catalog what you eat on the average weekday and weekend, and calculate the number of calories you're consuming on any given day.
- Catalog your exercise habits, determining how often you work out (if at all), for how long, and what your exercises are.
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Set your fitness goals. Once you know where you are, you can decide where you're going. Fitness goals are all over
the map. Most people are looking to reduce weight and bodyfat around the midsection. Others, particularly young men, are looking to gain weight
with added muscle mass. Many older Americans, particularly miniorities, are looking to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol to head
off heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In any case, consult with a physician and/or a personal trainer to set REASONABLE goals. Avoid the
temptation to set extremely ambitious goals. It's much more effective (and fun) to set more modest goals, beat them, then readjust them
upward.
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Get hydrated! Dehydration is perhaps the most overlooked chronic health condition in America, and the easiest
to remedy. Very few people drink as much water as they should, and since you're planning to adopt a healthy active lifestyle, you'll need
even more water than the average person. Fat burning, muscle building, muscle strength, blood pressure and cholesterol reduction,
flexibility, and even healthy appetite will all be inhibited without adequate fresh water intake - almost like a dehydration tax! An
active person can remain adequately saturated with 100oz - 120oz water per day. Buy yourself a 25oz Nalgene bottle and make a point to
fill that thing up and chug the whole thing 1.) when you wake up, 2.) at lunch, 3.) when you get home from work, 4.) right
before bed.
Health and fitness tips continued on page 2...