Getting fitter is easier said than done. We can easily make excuses for ourselves when it comes to exercising because it does require a degree of effort, and it’s not always enjoyable when you’re wincing through the pain of another squat in the gym or a length in the pool. However, keeping fit is important to help maintain and live a long and healthy life. Without exercise, we can end up putting a lot of pressure on vital organs, and our body ends up aging quicker because of it. So if now is the time for you to change your lifestyle and improve your fitness, here are some tips for helping improving fitness and find sports you love.
Start Eating Better
As much as junk food may taste nicer, eating healthily is where it all starts. There’s an equal balance between working out and eating well. When you’re not doing one of these things, you’ll notice the difference and even more so when you’re doing neither. So what needs changing in your current diet? Perhaps you’re a sucker for sugary treats, or maybe you enjoy your drink on a regular basis. Healthy eating starts with moderation, and everything you eat has to be in moderation with your body and what is considered a reasonable amount for your body to thrive and survive on. When we eat less, our body starts eating fat deposits, and when we eat more, the overeating contributes to fat deposits and the formation of them.
Think about what you could change now and what you might want to cut out. For example, you may be having several snacks a day in between meals. Perhaps we can reduce them to one between each meal and to make it a healthier snack than a packet of crisps or chocolate. A piece of fruit will go down well or a snack bar that’s full of healthier ingredients like oats and dried fruit. Healthy food doesn’t need to taste bad, and there’s plenty of flavorings out there that can make bland or plain food taste better. Start experimenting in the kitchen and get yourself into healthier eating.
Find Someone Who Helps Motivate You
Motivation and getting motivated to exercise can be tough. When you’re motivating yourself, you’re likely to give up quicker, compared to having someone who will encourage you to get to the gym. Find that person, whether it be a friend, family member or a work colleague. Some people find it beneficial to have a personal trainer because it’s the motivation that they provide, which can be really encouraging. Having your trainer push you to do that final few lunges or to complete something when you’d give up if you were on your own is essential to helping get fitter. Everyone is different, so when it comes to finding your motivation, you might find it in other people and the influence they have over you.
You can always go to exercise classes together with your partner or friend to help encourage each other. If you don’t go, then you end up letting both your friends and yourself down. That’s double the disappointment, and you’ll definitely find yourself making less excuses to not go.
Trial And Error
Trial and error is something that will help you find a sport or exercise class you love. Just because your friend or partner likes boxfit at the gym or long-distance running, it doesn’t mean you have to. Finding a fitness that you will love is all about trial and error. There’s things that you’ll enjoy and perhaps some things that you’ll hate. And it’s all about finding that one thing that you enjoy that will keep up your motivation to go. How long does it take you to do something that you hate? Like anything in life, we have those moments that make us wish we were elsewhere. Exercise is easy to become that if you’re doing something you don’t love. Start off by looking at different exercise classes and sports that you’ve not done before. From pole fitness to horse riding, group cycling to dancing. There’s an endless list of fitness activities that you can do, and it’s just about finding the right one for you.
Once you’ve found something that you’re passionate about, the effort you’re putting in will come from a place of happiness, rather than frustration. That will make for a happier and more productive workout too.
Inspire Fitness With The Right Clothing
The right clothing for your workout matters because if you’re not wearing the correct outfit, then that can impact the quality of the workout. Consider what is usually needed for each sport and shop accordingly. For example, for any running, you’ll want to pick an outfit that clings to your body, and that isn’t going to become a tripping hazard in any way. For workouts in the gym, having the right gloves to protect your hands when weight training is important too.
It’s good to have a week’s worth of workout gear that you can alternate throughout the week. You sweat a lot during workouts, and so you don’t want to be going to the gym each time wearing the same outfit. Vary your outfits to suit the type of sport or exercise you’re doing and always go for comfort. You want to be relaxed and snug, rather than having to pull up your leggings or adjust your top every five minutes. Always go for quality over cost because the more breathable your outfits are, the better your body will feel afterward.
Have Exercise Equipment At Home
Exercise equipment at home is a great way to help motivate you and to help encourage you to train even when you’re at home. A simple exercise mat and a few dumbbells are a great starter kit. As you train more and more, you might find that you want some bigger equipment like a baseball pitching machine or a rowing machine, that is if you have the space to install it. It’s important that you keep your exercise equipment in a room where you have no distractions. You could use a spare room that can be dedicated as a fitness area, otherwise it might be handy for you to have it all outdoors or in an outhouse, if the space is limited inside.
Be wary of where you buy your exercise equipment from and what you order. There’s no point in getting a spinning bike if you’ve never done it before. It’s not to say you won’t like it but you should start by buying equipment that you’re already using before going with anything new.
Schedule A Routine
A routine is essential because, without it, we can find it difficult to continue going if there’s no planning involved. When you book onto a class, even if there’s a possibility to cancel it, don’t allow yourself to. Have a think about how you’d like to start off and build up from there. Committing yourself to doing exercise everyday might not be realistic at this moment in time but there’s nothing to say you can’t achieve that eventually. When you’re scheduling in your routine, consider what time of day you can do. If you’re a morning person, utilize that ability to get up early, but if you’re not, then it’s a waste of energy trying to force yourself up when that’s not likely to be possible.
Plan your week or month out in advance when it comes to exercise and ensure that it’s something you don’t cancel for anything else other than medical appointments or emergencies. The stricter you are when it comes to getting it into a routine, the easier it will happen.
Don’t Put Too Much Pressure On Yourself
We all fall off that wagon sometimes in life. We’re only human after all, and we’re all different in how committed we are to things in life. Getting your mindset into training and exercise is tough to begin with and you’ll have moments where you fall off or have sessions that weren’t particularly enjoyable or fulfilling. However, that’s all part of the process, and it’s important to trust yourself and know that you’ll get back on it again. The more you put yourself down, the harder it will be to get back up. So take it slowly and don’t beat yourself up about failing or not having a good workout. It happens, and it’s all part of that journey you need to go through.
Fitness can be tough, and finding sports that match what you enjoy can take a while to perfect. Exercise is something you need to do in life because it helps promote a healthier body, and you can end up adding years onto your life by simply doing a little bit of fitness each day. Commit to something, create a routine, and find those individuals or things that will help motivate you to keep it up. It takes time and persistence, but you’ll get there eventually.
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