PERRY BUCHANAN: Seven habits of highly fit people

One of my favorite self-help and business improvement books is “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” written by Stephen Covey. In the words of Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” In his book, Covey lays out seven habits shared by all truly effective people. He notes that these traits can be learned, and no one is born possessing all of them. These seven habits make up the character of all the successful individuals Covey studied.

I encourage you to read this popular bestseller or re-read it if it has been a few years. I find these same habits also apply to most people who are very fit. I have put these habits into a fitness concept to show how you can plan and implement a sound fitness program. Adopt these seven habits of fit people to realize your individual goals of a healthier body.

Habit 1 – Be Proactive. Being proactive, means we each are responsible for our own lives. Our health and physical condition are ultimately dependent on our lifestyle choices. Listen and learn from the advice of your personal physician, and others you trust, but ultimately we are solely responsible for our choices and actions. Reactive people always have an excuse. Proactive people take responsibility to make things happen.

Habit 2 – Begin with the end in mind. You have to know your desired destination to know how to get there. The first step is to set a goal of what you want to accomplish. All highly fit people have a goal. Whether large and ambitious or small and incremental, a goal will give you a clear path with purpose.

Habit 3 – Put first things first. Once you determine your goal, develop an action plan. A goal without a plan of action is just a dream. It’s easy to get motivated about a fitness program when you envision all the great benefits to be had. This enthusiasm for your program will be very helpful, but don’t fall prey to the “terrible too’s” – doing too much, too soon, and too often. Your plan should be structured for your unique needs and be progressive.

Habit 4 – Seek to understand, then be understood. Listen and learn from others who have accomplished their fitness goals. By so doing, you can avoid a lot of mistakes during your learning period. Become as educated as possible on actual exercise science and nutrition facts. Understand how your body works, and know the facts of exercise and nutrition. This will sway you from being misguided by a late night hyped up infomercial. You will make wiser decisions about your fitness and health.

Habit 5 – Think “win/win.” A fitness program designed correctly will greatly improve your health and quality of life. It is amazing to me how many people fall into the trap of doing things potentially detrimental to their health in order to accomplish their fitness goals. What you do to become fit, should improve your health. There are many styles of workouts and diets. Remember three criteria to judge any workout or diet. They must be 1) safe, 2) effective, and 3) enjoyable. If it doesn’t meet all three, it will fail.

Habit 6 – Synergize. No single, one thing will make you very fit. Becoming truly fit is a process and involves many variables including exercise, nutrition and proper recovery. If you need to lose weight, exercise will be of paramount importance to preserve your lean muscle as you burn body fat for fuel. However, to reach your weight goal, you will also need to adjust your nutritional habits. You must have the proper balance of exercise and diet to create this synergy.

Habit 7 – Sharpen the saw. To sharpen the saw means renewing ourselves, in all four aspects of our natures – physical, mental, social/emotional, and spiritual (reading, studying, and meditation). Keep a log of your exercise and nutrition. Read and learn constantly to maintain your motivation. By keeping track of your program details and results, you will know when things need to be changed.

If you want to be successful, study the habits of those that have succeeded. These habits presented are obtainable by all if started with the right attitude. Regardless of your current fitness level, you can lead a happier, fitter life by adopting the same habits as highly fit people.

Perry Buchanan, owner of PT Gym, is certified as an Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine, and Fitness Nutrition Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.