Today’s contribution is by Suzy Butera, Wellness Coordinator at Barbara Cox Fitness Center.
After hundreds of logs are turned in, body fat lost, lean muscle gained, and lifestyles changed for the better, FitTrip wraps up for another successful year. Travel Agents sort through stacks and stacks of feedback from each participant survey. They separate the positives and negatives, make lots of notes, and take these critiques to a company-wide wellness meeting. Almost every Travel Agent has the same question asked by their FitTrip participants, why 12 weeks? When you made the commitment to join FitTrip, what goals did you have in mind? Healthier lifestyle? Better nutrition? Drop a few pounds? Look good in those jeans tucked away in your closet? Did you want these goals for a few months and then drop back to where you started? Probably not. FitTrip is all about creating lasting healthy lifestyle. It’s a habit, really. At first, it will seem difficult and tedious to log all the food consumed, workouts, and complete weekly fitness challenges. However, as the weeks progress, you might find yourself doing these things automatically. By 12 weeks, you’ll start to feel ‘weird’ when you forget to log something or go a few days without exercising! According to an article posted by the British Journal of General Practice, habit formation of healthy decisions/actions can lead to stainable behaviors. Let these healthy behaviors turn into the hardest habit to break! So why that magic number of 12? There are numerous studies that show the success of long-term program adherence in regards to health. For example, a study from the International Journal of Chronic Obstruct Pulmonary Disease stated that 12 weeks of aerobic training positively influenced the aerobic parameters in those with COPD. In that specific time span, patients were able to improve their quality of life thanks to sticking to a long term program. Was it difficult at first? Most definitely! But again, by creating those healthy habits and being held accountable, it will create those lasting habits that will contribute to a lifetime of good health. A lot can happen in twelve weeks! You might go on vacation (hello, Spring Break!) or receive a promotion. You might have some bad days or a week where you just do not feel motivated. That’s where FitTrip comes into action. Your Travel Agent will be there for you, help guide you back on track, and provide answers to any questions you have. Let us help you navigate through those tempting and trying times!
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505409/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26648712
