Each Small Step (Literally!) is a Step in the Right Direction!

David has a wedding to go to in a couple of weeks, and the suit he was planning to wear doesn’t fit. That’s a good problem to have as it turns out; that suit is now too big!David started training this past February, is currently halfway to his weight loss goal and has greatly improved in his overall level of fitness! I asked David if he would collaborate with me on this article and share with you some of the strategies he has used and what he has learned along the way.Here are some highlights:Have clear and meaningful goals in mind. David had “ignored the accumulating ill effects of a very sedentary lifestyle for many years.” But when a concerned friend took the step of connecting him with a trainer (me), David resolved to address his overall health and wellness with the goals of weight loss, increased fitness and improved energy throughout the day.Take one step at a time. David said that when he thought about starting to exercise regularly and come to a gym, the idea was a little intimidating “for someone who had been a couch potato for so long.” But he realized that he didn’t have to do it all in one day and that he could start small and build his repertoire and level of fitness as he went along.Look at the whole picture. David has approached his training goals with an eye toward addressing multiple aspects of his overall health. To that end, he has sought and completed medical evaluation where needed, began and has continued to work steadily with a dietitian, and actively pursued solutions to a few setbacks he has faced along the way.Develop a plan and follow it. From the time he started training, David has been very consistent with working out several times each week on his own. We upgrade and adjust what those workouts look like during weekly training sessions. David has taken a similar approach in his work with his dietitian, Alison Sacks, making sustainable changes to his daily eating patterns and refining those changes and adding to them during regular follow up meetings.Track your progress. To date, David has lost 20 lbs. from his starting weight and would like to continue to lose another 15-20 lbs. From a fitness perspective, David has increased his cardiovascular fitness in a really impressive way. From initially laboring to walk up a small hill near Level, he now takes long, brisk walks and does interval workouts on a regular basis. His overall quality of movement has improved greatly, and he continues to build strength, improve posture and feel better overall.David’s advice for those contemplating starting to work on fitness goals that might seem a little daunting: “Take the first step, get all the help and support you can, and focus on incremental, achievable goals. (Just setting foot in the gym was my first accomplishment!) Each small step (literally!) is a step in the right direction.”Thanks so much, David, for your collaboration on this article!