Staying in shape is a year round process for me. However, my approach to fitness changes with the seasons, as should yours. As obvious as it seems, the first objective in learning how to live a fitness lifestyle is finding a fitness comfort level that you can actually maintain on a year round basis without getting burned out.

Fort most people, when the urge to begin their ‘fitness quest’ hits them, they charge into their program like gladiators into the lion’s den, and the results are just as predictable. The lions usually win. Enthusiasm is great but only takes you so far. In a fitness program, that initial burst of enthusiasm is usually good for about thirty days before most people call it a day and quit.

You can’t go full bore with an exercise and diet program all year round. It’s just not a practical and sustainable approach. What I do is cycle my training and diet to the seasons. I have a four-season approach to my personal fitness program that should work for most people. Here’s what I do:

1. January – March: As the new year begins, I’m getting ready to get serious with my diet and training program for the coming year. I become more aware of what I’m eating and start to slowly clean up my diet. My training intensity picks up a notch now becomes a little more focused and structured.

2. April – June: This is the timeframe that I do my yearly rotation at our Physique Transformation website. This is the time that I go all out in both my training and dieting programs. I try to be in peak condition each year on my birthday, which is June 15^th. This is also the start of summer and what better time to be in great shape then summer time when you’re lounging around the pool?

3. July – September: I’ve hit my peak condition for the year in June and now over the next three months I slowly start to relax my diet and training program. This is still a timeframe where I’m watching my diet and training on a regular basis as I enjoy the rest of the summer months, but the intensity level is dropped a notch or two.

4. October – December: This is the holiday season and a time where you want to be able to relax with friends and family and enjoy food without worrying about your diet. So in this quarter I put the PFA away and just enjoy an unstructured three months. Now I don’t go crazy and eat everything in sight during this time but I do let myself enjoys certain foods and treats that I usually won’t eat in the other phases of my fitness program. But this mental and physical vacation period is what lets me recharge my fitness batteries and has me chomping at the bit to start the whole process all over again come January. 

So there you have it. Train according to the seasons and you’ll find that you stay in excellent shape almost year round. More importantly, when you can find an easy, comfortable rhythm to your fitness program it becomes an unconscious part of you and your day-to-day living habits. And that my friend is the ‘fitness lifestyle’ we all strive for.

YIF&H,
Ric Rooney

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