If there’s one new year’s resolution to keep this year, it should be staying fit and being healthy.
Therefore, start here with the best six best ways to stay fit in 2018 and make it your best year yet!
Educate yourself on the subject
A common mistake for beginners wanting to live a healthy lifestyle is their lack of knowledge about it. Before you dive headfirst into hitting the gym, you should be aware of why exercise and clean eating is so vital to your physical and mental well-being, and learn how to appropriately approach losing weight and gaining muscle. Furthermore, not only does exercise and a clean diet earn you the body of your dreams, it improves the overall quality of your organ functions. They also lower your risk of developing chronic diseases, sharpen your brain health, and contribute to increasing the quality of your sleep and even sex life. In regards to the technicalities of counting calories, losing weight, and gaining muscle – this is a fantastic guide to help you get started on the basics of nutrition without feeling overwhelmed.
Be realistic and concise with your goals
Realistically, getting healthy and fit isn’t an overnight feat. It’s a gradual process that takes time for you to see your desired results. However, don’t let that discourage you from not trying. Take some time to reflect on the specific goals you wish to accomplish with your fitness and health; ask yourself what you personally value. Don’t say “you just want to get in shape”. Vague goals fail to give you a sense of direction of the steps you need to take in order to reach them. Instead, ask these kinds of questions: do you want to lose a certain amount of weight to gain confidence? What about learning a specific technique in a sport, such as a pose in yoga that utilizes your upper body strength? Maybe, you want to climb a flight of stairs without getting tired? Once you create a clear vision of your goals, you can then understand and implement the necessary steps, and workouts and make decisions that will ultimately lead you to where you want to be.
Choose exercises you actually enjoy doing
Working out is supposed to be fun, not a chore! You will have absolutely no motivation or desire to exercise if the activity makes you dread the thought of it. There’s something out there for everyone, and it doesn’t hurt to explore multiple areas of exercise that peak your curiosity. There’s an endless range of activity possibilities that could turn into a newfound hobby and passion as well. Think of it this way: maybe, you were originally interested in yoga but found it a bit too slow-paced for your liking and discovered you thrive more with an aggressive sport such as kickboxing. You don’t need to limit yourself to the gym if weightlifting and cardio are things that do not ignite your interest.
Organize a workout schedule – and stick to it
One of the common reasons why skipping out on a workout happens is because you may try to exercise at an inconvenient time in the day; this is why organized workout schedules are so important! For example, if you work a 9-5 office job, you’re most likely going to be exhausted after driving home in traffic and only desire to wind down once stepping through the door – and getting pumped for the gym feels like a nightmare. Opt for starting your day with a workout or maybe even take a moment out of your lunch break to workout. Another approach to creating a workout schedule is to ask yourself: “what part of the day do I thrive them most or am the most active with my time?”. Perhaps, working out in the morning is too much of a hassle and your evenings are always free! There is no set time where a person should work out. Ultimately, you should consider your lifestyle and include workout times that integrate seamlessly into it.
Prepare your meals ahead of time
You won’t succumb to the temptation of take-out or falter from your diet if you meal prep. Cooking at home has many benefits to you as well – mainly saving money and knowing exactly what is going into your food. A restaurant may claim a chicken salad is healthy, but they season the dish with more salt than necessary to flavor it. Use meal prepping as an opportunity to make delicious but nutritious meals you will look forward to eating each day. Plus, cooking meals ahead of time saves you a tremendous amount of time during the day and eliminates the unnecessary stress of wondering what to eat or using food as a stress coping mechanism. Doing so steers you away from bad eating behaviors such as skipping meals or binging, and helps you avoid harmful or addictive drinking habits.
Find a workout buddy or join a community
Exercise is more fun with another person or two involved! Having a workout buddy can create some healthy competition between the both of you and both of you can keep the other accountable for their goals. Additionally, joining a community of like-minded individuals who share your goals and participates in the same activity can introduce you to unexpected lifelong friends that make exercising something you will always look forward to every week.
Working out and eating healthy daily is a tough commitment. But with discipline, practice, and an attitude that fiercely seeks self-improvement, you will realize that fitness is an exciting and rewarding journey if you let it be one. Trial and error is a part of the fitness experience and shouldn’t be seen as a roadblock. Use failures as a motivation or reminders to propel yourself forward to try something different that can help you reach your goals. Without question, nutrition and fitness will always positively impact and change your life. Here’s to a promising, fulfilling, and healthy 2018!