An E article focusing on how to regain fitness at any age while rebounding from the psychological impact of discovering an out of shape physique, sought out a WVU CPASS faculty member to ensure a successful fitness program. The piece offered suggestions on how to become healthier and stronger while enjoying training. Dailyburn.com talked with Sam Zizzi, PhD, professor, sport and exercise psychology at CPASS, for advice.
“The connection to CPASS is that we want our faculty to be go-to people for how to start and maintain a physical activity program. This website is read by tens of thousands of people. It’s good recognition that a teacher/researcher can use their knowledge in a more far-reaching medium than a journal article,” said Zizzi.
“The good news is that you can regain fitness at any age,” he explained in the story. “But you may not be as fast or as strong as you once were. So you need to keep up your motivation in the beginning by thinking, ‘I’m going to start slower, but I’m not going to quit.’”
According to the Zizzi, the danger of measuring current performance by old achievements is that an individual may experience disappointment. “If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t stick with it,” he said. Zizzi offered tips to get into a new workout plan quickly and safely.
Former athletes might recall how good it felt to cross the finish line during the first big race — but might have forgotten all the hard work that went into getting there. That’s the same work it might take to get back there. “You need to realize you’re at a new point, and that’s where you should begin from,” added Zizzi.
He suggests not evaluating initial progress for at least 30 days. “Can you treat it like a science experiment and wonder, ‘Let’s see what I’m capable of,’ instead of rushing to beat yourself up?’” he suggested. It’s easier to settle into a regular routine when you’re not so critical of your performance.
Weekend warriors often have different responsibilities than when they last competed in a half-marathon, or boasted serious biceps. So it should make sense that their motivation for wanting to get fit again also would have changed.
“When people think of those new reasons, it helps them stay motivated,” he said. “Maybe you want to stay healthy for your family, or you want to be an active father.” Articulating those new reasons will help you accept the shift in your identity, he said. You’re forced to think about how fitness fits into an expanded perspective of your life.