Brian White | Fitness

Kaizen is basically defined as “continuous improvement.” It is a Japanese business philosophy and a key to steady innovation found at successful companies like Toyota. The philosophy of kaizen is about continual improvement each day,

rather than a search for perfection. It is an approach that can be used when we are talking about our own health and fitness.

It is very easy to look at a magazine cover or see someone on TV and be discouraged that you will never look like that or be that healthy. That vision of perfection can stifle an attempt to get in shape or to make lasting changes.

You may ask yourself why even bother, or you may question if it’s even possible to achieve those types of bodies.

The overriding principles of kaizen are daily, continuous, steady improvement, and to take a long-term view. Like anything worthwhile in life, achieving kaizen requires commitment and a strong willingness to change.

So don’t get discouraged by images and perceptions of “perfection.” Focus on the small things each day that you can improve, building momentum toward the changes you want to achieve. There is always room for improvement; that is the spirit of kaizen.

It’s not about how much weight you have lost or how much weight you have to go, it is only about this moment – right now – and the willingness to learn and improve.

Here are five ways to make your personal health about kaizen.

1. Ready, shoot, aim.

Do not aim for perfection because you’ll never achieve it. This is about doing it daily. Take action on that gym membership even if you only have time for a 30-minute workout. Don’t wait until next Monday to start eating breakfast, begin today by eating an apple. Remember, it is about achieving big goals one little step at a time.

2. Correct things right away if you slip up.

Stuff happens. Accept it, and adjust accordingly. If you adhere to not aiming for perfection, then you are accepting that there will be mistakes to correct. I love the analogy of an airplane in flight to describe this. The plane is rarely “on target” in flight; it is usually a little off. But the pilot is constantly adjusting, and the plane ends up at its destination.

3. Sacrifice in the short term for long-term gain.

Much of why we are not in the shape we would like has to do with giving up long-term gains because we are not willing to sacrifice in the short term. In fact, if you can understand this concept in the context of all the decisions you make within one day, there is no limit to what you can achieve.

Kaizen is about continuous improvement. It is not about taking one step forward and two steps back. So if your idea of a healthy lifestyle is being really good during the week and letting “all hell break loose” on the weekend, I suggest asking yourself where can you sacrifice in the short term to achieve Kaizen.

4. Break your goal down into small steps.

Take your larger goal and make it manageable with small, actionable steps. You do have your goal written somewhere, right? Start with the big picture and break it down. It doesn’t have to be a complete master plan – once again, perfection is not an achievable goal – but build momentum with small steps, and you can achieve it.

5. Visualize.

Visualize what it looks like when you achieve your goal. Visualize how you achieve each actionable step. The more you see the picture in your mind, the greater chance you’ll succeed. Your body can’t go where you mind has never been.

As a personal trainer, I am constantly working with people in regards to their daily habits. Whatever your situation is, it is mostly a collection of habits. Kaizen focuses on constant improvement, so it is excellent at building good daily habits and removing negative ones.

Habits must be developed, and the steady, gradual approach of Kaizen lends itself nicely to creating success.

Kaizen is an incredible tool for effective long-term change, and it maybe the fresh alternative approach you need to finally achieve your goals. Pick one portion of your health and fitness routine and apply this approach for a few months.

And as always, let me know how it goes!

—Brian White owns BWF, San Diego’s Premier Training Service located in Hillcrest. He runs boot camps in Balboa Park and trains clients in Diverge Gym. Go to youshouldbedoingit.com to read his blog, or take his seven-day video challenge to get back into healthy habits. Contact Brian at [email protected] or on his website.