t’s a typical scene. A guy goes into a gym and bellies up to the treadmill, punches in 30 minutes on the screen, and starts plodding along. But even if he hits that treadmill three days a week for months, chances are his weight loss won’t go anywhere. Sound familiar? Whether your cardio days are getting stale or you just can’t find the motivation to stick with a program, you need help. Who better to supply it than a couple of guys who turn average Joes into top marathoners? We looked at their training strategies and stole the best bits—the tips you can use to kick-start your own weight-loss regimen.
Set a Specific Goal
General goals (like “weight loss”) are fine, according to Hal Higdon, a famed marathon coach and author of Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, but having short-term and long-term goals is a better way to stay motivated and on track. “Think three weeks, three months, or three years down the road and decide on a specific goal,” he says. “A marathon is an excellent ultimate goal that motivates many to start moving, but all you really need is some point down the road that you’d like to get to.”
