Getting Fit And Staying Fit
Getting fit and staying fit sounds so good. And with the right attitude and the right goals, you can do it. I think we can all agree that starting is not hard. Staying motivated is the real challenge.
It's best if you are new to exercise that you start slowly. Don't burn yourself out the first week. Start with a short walk and gradually increase your distance and speed.
Keep in mind that exercise doesn't take up all your free time. The commitment is for 30 minutes to an hour a day. So cheer up.
Set some realistic goals. Maybe your first goal could be to work out three days a week. Then increase when you get the hang of it. Set a goal of walking ten thousand steps. Start with the small goals and work up to the larger ones.
Keep in mind that you don't have to like exercise. But, if you want to be fit, you must do it. So quit whining about exercising. Find some activities that you like. There is nothing very hard about getting in a daily walk.
Keep your exercise gear handy and in plain sight. It's a non-nagging reminder to you.
Forget willpower. Just think about the reason you want to be fit. Maybe you want to look good. And maybe it's because you want to be healthy. Both are good reasons to want to be fit. And you can accomplish both at the same time. Keep focused on the reason you want to achieve fitness.
The key to lifetime fitness is making it a habit. Write it down, and schedule it into your day. After a while, it will become just a part of your daily routine, and you will do it almost without thinking about it. I bet you don't forget to brush your teeth. And that's because it's part of your daily routine.
Be realistic when scheduling your exercise. Make sure to schedule your workouts when you realistically have the time. It would help if you didn't attempt to squeeze your workouts around meetings and appointments. That would be setting yourself up for failure. Maybe get up an hour earlier, specifically for your workout. Take an hour before dinner.
Don't entertain the 'all or nothing attitude.'
It's not all or nothing. Some days it's doing what you can; just do something.
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Forget Excuses. You don't have time today doesn't work. You can find 15 minutes here and there to at least take a couple of short walks.
Rain is not an excuse either. Don't even think about using the weather as an excuse not to get in any exercise. There are plenty of things you can do inside. You can find a wide variety of exercise videos on YouTube. Make use of a treadmill or go to a gym.
Try a variety of different activities. Maybe sign up for a Zumba class, try yoga, water aerobics, and swimming.
Don't get in a rut doing the same thing every day. Boredom has been known to kill a fitness routine. So find activities you like.
Plan out your exercise plan. Your plan should include aerobic fitness, core exercise, weight training, balance training, and flexibility and stretching.
For extra motivation, get yourself a fitness tracker, pedometer, or a free app for your phone. A fitness journal is a great way to record your up and downs and your milestone successes.
Turn some of your sitting time into getting fit time; if you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or watching TV, set a timer and get up and move around more. Doing some housework gets you moving. And you get double benefits; a clean house and some exercise. Or maybe while watching the latest episode of your favorite show, you could do some push-ups or squats.
Reward yourself. Maybe it sounds a little crazy, but what about having a piggy bank or a jar and paying yourself a little after each workout? Maybe toss a dollar in the piggy bank, and if the exercise went beyond and beyond, maybe five dollars—a great way to save up for a bigger reward.
Remember making regular daily fitness a part of your life requires three things: Focus on your reason why, Focus on your habits, and make no excuses.
Before you know it, your healthy lifestyle will become as routine as your morning coffee and brushing your teeth. Did you know that around 40% of our daily actions result from our habits?