It's not all about exercise and diet. If you're spirit isn't with the program, even the best discipline might just lead to injury.

That's why most exercise programs fail, and that's why Lifestyle Fitness Coach Amy Lundberg, wrote "Self Care Before Sit-Ups."

Since we all know spirits are intangible, why are they the key to success for a healthy, fit body? What does it mean to take a holistic approach to exercise?

Lundberg says from experience that, "Most people don't want to take the time to look at the mental/spiritual side of their lives. They jump into an exercise program and a few weeks or months later, it all falls apart."

Lundberg focuses on building an inner foundation with her clients to support their physical fitness program before she begins to add on the exercise component. She says that this approach seems backwards to many people, but it is the foundation that, without which most people can't maintain an exercise program.

It would be simple if a cookie cutter, quick fix approach worked for most people. This hope is the constant lure of new diet books and programs. If I take steps 1-10, the same as my neighbor, we should get the same results, right? But that science class approach does not ring true for diet and fitness programs.

The problem is that each of us is unique. We have unique needs and causes, oftentimes emotional ones, for why we need to improve our physical fitness. When we honor that, it allows us to exercise with enjoyment and safety.

Lundberg had one client who she coached for four months before they even talked about exercise. She was a single-mother who owned her own business. She was overweight and was so tired and depleted that she ended up in the hospital. Lundberg knew the client had to build a sturdy inner-foundation before she would ever be able to maintain a fitness program.
Her client learned how to listen to her inner-self and the exercise followed naturally. After four months of working on her inner-fitness, the woman woke up one day, excited and ready to get on her treadmill. Now she's dropped two dress sizes and she exercises every day.

This scenario is extremely common. Everone needs to take time to nurture themselves and recharge batteries. This is especially important for women who are more likely to be compulsive nurturers of others. When you're in a cycle of do, do, do, it's hard to stop.

Lundberg likens the phenomenon to a crystal pitcher full of life-giving water. If a person's family is one glass, and their work is another, and social life is another, they just keep filling up those glasses until they, the pitcher, is completely empty. Too often we don't save any of that life-giving water for ourselves. Then we wonder why we're exhausted, overweight and unhealthy.

Lundberg also shared some simple tips for taking the frustration and failure out of fitness, but be warned, she doesn't subscribe to a cookie cutter approach.