Exercise an Average of One Hour Each Day

It's recommended that you exercise for an average of one hour every day to lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off.
Don't get scared off! I will be attempting all of these recommendations as written, but you can adapt them to your own goals. If an hour of exercise a day is simply too much, set your own goal that you consider to be challenging, yet achievable. 

Happy New Year! I'm excited about 2012 and all the changes I'll be making in my life. I encourage you to follow along with me! It will NOT be easy, but if we do it together we just might make it to 2013 with some healthier habits and happier lives.

The very first recommendation of the year comes from Nick Rainey, the head personal trainer at Body4Change. Nick has been a certified personal trainer since 2008. He has a Bachelor's of Science in Exercise Science with a minor in Nutrition from Brigham Young University. He's a certified Personal Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Posture Specialist (I'm probably a posture specialist's worst nightmare). He is also currently in school to become a Physical Therapy Doctor. He has some great advice, so I'm sure we'll be hearing more recommendations from him throughout the year.

So, here's the recommendation in Nick's words...

"The National Weight Control Registry claims that people who lose and keep a significant amount of weight off exercise an average of an hour each day. The reason exercise is so important is that it raises your metabolism. Your body burns more calories the whole day if you exercise. Nothing else can replace exercise. There are many ways to exercise. While some exercise may be more effective than others, any kind of exercise is better than no exercise. People always ask me what I think of certain exercise programs. I recommend people do exercise they'll keep doing. The best workout programs in the world are useless if they're not done. The key is to find something you like and do it!"
      --Nick Rainey

It's not just exercising for an hour, but actually enjoying it so you keep it up! I know that for me the only physical activities I can say I really enjoy are tennis and running around outside with my daughter. These aren't that easy to do in the middle of a Utah winter. I can also enjoy things like running, push-ups, sit-ups, etc..., but only if I'm seeing results.

That's why today I'm taking a fitness test to measure my current fitness level. Then, throughout the year, as I exercise an hour a day and follow future recommendations from Nick, I can measure my progress. The test I'll be using is called The President's Challenge Adult Fitness Test. It involves walking a mile, sit-ups, push-ups, a flexibility test, and calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI). Tomorrow I'll publish my results so everyone can know how weak I am :) I'll also set some goals for improvement.

So check back throughout the week to see where my starting point is and how I plan to achieve my goals. From here you should...

"Like" Vaughn Life Coaching on Facebook - This way I can keep you updated on new posts and other news.
Sign up for life coaching and start creating the life you want! - For January only, you can enter the promo code "new year" to get 20% off any coaching service.


Resources

Body4Change Website (www.body4change.com) - Sign up for Personal Training, Boot Camp, In Home Training, or even Online Training! If you want your best chance at seeing results, sign up with Body4Change today.

The President's Challenge Adult Fitness Test (www.adultfitnesstest.org) - This is where I'll be doing my fitness test. It's really simple. Just follow the instructions, submit your info, and you'll get a fitness score plus info about how to improve over time.

Nick Rainey's Website (www.sixweekworkoutprogram.com) - Here you'll find information about Nick's book, a few healthy recipes, and Nick's health and fitness blog.

The National Weight Control Registry (www.nwcr.ws) - This organization tracks the progress of over 10,000 individuals who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. They have some interesting statistics that are worth looking at.