It is apparent from the H1-N1 outbreak that the Loyola community is concerned about their health.  The simple solution to this might be to live a healthier lifestyle.  Any medical and fitness practitioner would agree that a strong, healthy body results in a strong immune system.  I think I made my point about that tired subject.

I would like to offer some advice that I’ve had to learn the hard way in the last six years of extremely dedicated training.  I hope that this advice can make sense and inspire a semester of dedication on your part.

Classes have started and hopefully you have made some form of physical exercise in the gym or outside part of your daily routine. Consistency with any exercise program and making healthy eating decisions will take time to see results but a dramatically obvious physical change by your semester’s benchmark, Thanksgiving break.  Patience truly is a virtue.

Through the semester, you will have days where you are too busy or tired to workout.  There will be days where your warm up will be too much.  Therefore, if you are not lying to yourself, let your body be you guide.  For myself, when I can only go 75 percent, I listen.

Now is also the time to start balancing yourself physically.  It is easy to fall into the trap of only working out your strongest attributes.  A runner will only run and neglect strength training, a weight lifter will only do upper body and neglect legs. My flaw is neglecting my cardiovascular strength for endurance.

 It is easy to convince yourself to workout what responds the quickest for yourself.  The body develops proportionately so use this next couple of weeks to make adjustments addressing the weaker parts in your routine.

Also, it is a good idea to learn and expand from other’s workouts in the gym but do not ever let a more advanced routine influence your training. You need to know yourself and train at that pace and intensity level. With that knowledge, you can appropriately make the most out of your workout.

Finally, a big mistake is to have conflicting goals. You cannot lose weight and gain muscle at the same time.  Unless you are a fitness professional after a decade of consistency or just unnaturally genetically gifted, you cannot do both.

Each set of goals require different variables. Like anything else besides fitness, you must focus a particular goal in order to reach a greater end goal. You will waste less unfocused time in working out and reaching benchmarked goals will make sense.

If there is anyway I can help you reach your goals and break barriers, e-mail me or ask me if you see me on campus.  So, stop making excuses for yourself if you want results.

Dominic Moncada can be reached at [email protected]