7 Tips for a fitter, healthier you
Hydrate Yourself
Drink a glass/tumbler of water each morning when you wake up.
Drinking water is essential to hydrating your body. It helps wake you up and is an a key part of staying healthy and having great skin. Remember, your body contains (and needs) more water than most of us realise. Be sure you’re giving it enough, starting first thing — even before the coffee! Ideally we are looking to drink 2 litres a day. If you want to go for this in week one of your new regime go for it, initially you will be visiting the toilet ALOT, but your body will soon adapt & thank you in the long run.
This one of the easiest, cheapest, and best ways to stay healthy without having to give anything up!!
Keep a Food Diary
For 1-2 weeks write down every single thing you eat and drink or even better calorie count. Food journaling is said to be a powerful keystone habit, one that has a ripple effect into other areas of your life. It is very difficult for us to realise how many calories we are consuming without calculating. If this method works for you then carry on beyond the initial period, if not you WILL have an accurate picture of your consumption and a few pointers on areas that may require addressing.
Take a Selfie
Front & side (bikini for the ladies, shorts for the gents). One great way to track your progress with your fitness journey is to take before, during and after photos. As much as you might hate the thought of taking your picture, the differences you will see can motivate you on those days you need a bit of a boost.
Pick Something You'll Enjoy
There is little point in thrashing yourself if this style of workout doesn't flick your switch. For some the endorphin rush works for them, for others this just reaffirms their belief that exercise cannot be enjoyed - IT CAN. This is YOUR journey, find your fit, this may involve testing and adjusting but don't be afraid of moving on if the class/workout is not working for you, there's loads of options out there.
Start small and build momentum
Sensibly determine if your long term fitness goals are achievable. Once you decide that they ultimately are, you’ll set a realistic time frame. eg. Start at working out perhaps once a week and build it into your schedule. Then add another session in say 2/3 weeks time then add a third to achieve that 150mins/week. Overloading your lifestyle from day one with your new routine is generally destined to fail.
Set Micro Goals
At the outset a goal of exercising for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week may sound like a plan, but how likely are you to achieve this with current lifestyle commitments?
The more ambitious your goal, the more likely you are to fail, feel bad about it, and then give up. It’s better to start with easy exercise goals you know you can achieve. As you meet them, you’ll build self-confidence and momentum. Then you can move on to more challenging goals.
Utilising the SMARTER principle means that your goal setting becomes a little more realistic. If you’ve gradually gained weight over the past year or so, then a medium to long term fitness goal is probably realistic and achievable in a safe manner; fat loss of 1-2lb per week is realistic but it WILL take dedication & willpower. DON'T GIVE UP!
Find an Accountability Partner
This may be a friend that shares a similar goal to you, an online support group or a Personal Trainer. Again not every size fits all. By having a partner in crime it is more difficult to skip your new routine as we feel we are letting the partner down - this makes it more likely we will continue and achieve our goals.
Follow these tips and without realising it, you just might find yourself eating better and exercising more.
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Debs @ bournetraining.co.uk