During the last few months I have been asked countless times what was my inspiration, how I did it, or what’s my secret. I hope this post gives some answers and possibly guidance for others. Before I start please note: this worked for me, but may not work for you.

So how did it all start? Like most things in a man’s life, it started with a beautiful woman who I was dating at the time. She got me thinking about getting fit and losing some weight, mainly because I felt she was way out of my league. She also got me used to getting up at 5am to get going to the gym on a daily bases, not an easy task back then, just ask my mother. Our relationship didn’t work out, but I am thankful for her getting me started on the path towards where I am now.

I had a very bad relationship with the gym and exercising in general before October of 2009. Yes, I had a membership to St. John’s in Tulsa, but went a few times every two weeks it was never a lasting and fruitful relationship between us. My relationship with the gym has since grown and if I am away for more than a day my body starts telling my brain it’s time to make a trip.

Now that you have a little background here are my first 5 tips for getting fit:

1. Commit to 5+ Hours a Week to Fitness

We all would like exercise to be quick and easy and ads on TV tell us all you need is 20 minutes a day 3 days a week to get fit.  They could be correct, but they are averaging that over a years worth of running on their crazy machine or aerobics video.  Getting fit takes a serious time commitment.  When I first started I was going into the gym for an hour every 3 days and sometimes a fourth day.  Now I spend 1-1.5 hrs a day 6-7 days a week at the gym, running or biking.  Sometimes I go to workout in the morning and swim in the evening when training for a triathlon.  Exercise has become my second job and has had an effect on my social life, but the physical benefits have been worth it and you will feel the same way.

2. Expect to Spend Money / Buy the Right Clothes, Shoes, Etc..

Since October I have spent over $1,000 on clothes, shoes, supplements, gym membership and event fees.  That doesn’t even include the money spent on buying new clothes that fit me. The only thing that has benefited from my weight loss is the Goodwill as I give them bag after bag of things that no longer fit me.  When I started my workouts I wore basketball shorts and a t-shirt and an old pair of running shoes I have had since college.  Now I go with a breathable shirt, lightweight shorts or triathlon shorts and fitted running shoes.

Clothing
Everyone of us has an old t-shirt that we paint in or workout in, which is great in the beginning, but getting a breathable shirt that allows air to freely hit your body is great.  Sure t-shirts work, but wouldn’t you rather have the fan behind you whisk away your sweat and cool you down rather than have a cotton t-shirt wet and sticking to your back?  Especially when doing a workout in the sun, having a shirt that is light weight is worth the $20 cost at the local athletics store.

Shoes
I cannot stress enough how important it is to get the right running shoes for you and going to a local running store (I recommend Fleet Feet Tulsa on 51st and Yale) to get them.  Most will film you running and match the right support for your arch and step.  I had terrible support and needed to get special shoes and add super feet inserts, yes they cost me around $180, but the benefit I get is I have yet to have any pain while or after going on runs because my feet are supported correctly.

If you are biking or doing spin classes, make sure you have biking shoes with clips on them.  They allow you to not only push down while pedaling, but pull with the opposite leg at the same time.  You will build more muscles and have a harder workout using clips.

Supplements
When I started I only took a multivitamin every day.  Now I have fish oil, multivitamins, protein shakes and muscle/workout powders to give my body the energy and nutrients it needs to sustain a 6 day a week workout.  They all cost money and some start at $80 for a small container that lasts you 45 days, but I find that they all have helped me enhance my workouts and more importantly keep me from being sore.

3. Buy a Heart Rate Monitor

You will see me at the gym always with my Polar F6 on with my heart rate strap under my shirt.  I rarely do any workout with out it on.  I have said to friends I live and die by my heart rate, which isn’t the complete truth, but I do focus on it more than the actual excercise I am doing.  What does a heart rate monitor tell you?

First of all it keeps track of your calories burned during your workout tailored to your weight, age, and resting heart rate.  Is it perfect at your burned calories? Nope, but far better than the bike machine at the gym.  The HRM I have keeps track of daily and weekly workouts and the total calories burned.  There is sometime really special about seeing on Monday morning that last week I burned 3400+ calories.

Also most HRMs keep track of your “zone” which is your lower and upper HR for maximum efficiency.  Being able to see that zone and stay within it is a very helpful tool during workouts or training. For instance if I am going over my top HR by about 10 or more BPM then I’m not going to be able to maintain the level of exertion I am currently at. If I am under my “zone” I know I have more in the tank and should get my legs moving faster.

4. As Time Goes On Don’t Be Afraid To Change Your Goals

Like I said above, I lost weight quickly in the begining of my journey, but then in February I plateaued and didn’t start losing weight again until the middle of April.  Instead of  working on losing weight still I shifted my goals to being better and faster at running, swimming and everything I did.  I focused on my times and my heart rate during my exercises and worked to keep in my “zone” and maximize my workout.  I also changed from just going for endurance to building up the muscles in my legs specifically the ones that would benefit me in running and biking.  I actually gained weight for a while as I saw my legs muscles grow and since I changed my focus from weight to being better, I wasn’t phased by the weight gain.

5. Find A Partner to Join You

When starting out having someone by your side going to the gym or going on a run can be all the difference. They keep you accountable and get you going.  There is something powerful about not letting down your friend and getting out of bed at 5.30am to go run on a treadmill for 30 minutes.  If you don’t have a friend who is interested go join a Couch-to-5k group or head to Fleet Feet Tulsa near LaFortune and join their fun runs in the evening.  I guarantee you will make friends and want to go each week.

You can use sites like DailyMile.com to find friends in other cities and track your progress.  They have system to encourage your friends and vice versa.  I have been able to keep track of friends progresses and nothing makes you feel bad like seeing on the day you took off from the gym your friend just ran 10+ miles, I’m talking about you Shawna

Do you have a tip to share with me or have a different opinion about what I mentioned? Share it with me in the comments below.

Remember: It doesn’t matter if you are walking, running, skipping or crawling finishing any workout or event is winning no matter what place you come in.

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