Get started on a healthy lifestyle by cultivating the exercise habit! You are not the only who has given up once or twice when it comes to cultivating an exercise routine that you will stick to. Exercising can be awfully frustrating and just thinking about the amount of hard work you have to put in can put you off, but ask anyone and they will tell you that it’s all worth it. Read on to find out ways in which you can ease yourself into the exercise habit to not only look great, but feel great too!
Snapshot Survey
Snapshot Survey
1. Set Realistic Goals
One mistake you want to avoid when trying to lose weight or when cultivating the exercise habit is setting goals that are too far outside your reach. It’s perfectly fine to use toned celebrity bodies as an aim, but don’t expect to reach such goals within a few weeks. Set realistic goals that are attainable and revise them every two months. You are more likely to get dejected and give up easily when you set goals that are too high and don’t see the results fast.
2. Motivation
It’s a no-brainer that you need motivation to keep you focused on your goal. Stick up pictures of healthy and toned bodies you aim to emulate in an area of your house where you will be able to see them every day. There are also apps that motivate you while you are working out. How cool is that! You can also motivate yourself by keeping track of your progress. Progress is not about calories lost or muscle definition alone. If you can run longer than when you first started, that too is progress!
3. Take It Slow
Don’t rush into a full hardcore routine all at once. It may be tempting to do so to get your desired body fast but you are actually setting yourself up to fail. Your body needs to get used to the sudden strenuous activity you are putting it through and exercise requires self-discipline. You will have a tougher time sticking working out 4 times a week when you are just starting out. Start slow and then gradually increase the intensity and frequency of your workouts.
4. Find Exercises You like
It can be hard to stay determined when you are easing into the exercise habit. A few sit-ups in and you are out of breath, starting to wonder why do some people find exercising enjoyable. How do some love working out so much that they can’t even think of missing a workout? The thing is you can enjoy exercising even if you are a beginner. Pick exercises that you enjoy doing and this way you won’t dread working out. Circuit training is a mix of different exercises, so you won’t get bored!
5. Home-Bound Exercises
You need to be consistent in exercising if you want to make it a habit. When you stop doing something for a while it can be a little tough trying to form the habit once again. Incorporate home-bound exercises into your routine instead of saying you don’t have time to hit the gym. There is a variety of exercises you can do at home and not having time shouldn't be an excuse because if you are doing it at home, you can do it anytime! No dumbbells at home? No worries; just use water bottles as weights!
6. Rest Days
Including rest days in your workout routines is crucial. It gives your muscles time to repair and recover. But that’s not all! Rest days give you something to look forward to. It’s like a treat for sticking to your work out plan. Positive reinforcements like rest days act like a reward which will strengthen your behaviour to stay disciplined during your exercises.
Rest days are essential for your exercise routine and should not be overlooked. Not only do they provide the opportunity for your muscles to repair and recover, but they can also act as a reward for sticking to your plan. Rest days can help to strengthen your behaviour and motivate you to stay disciplined. Additionally, they can help to prevent overtraining and fatigue, which can lead to injury. Rest days are essential for any exercise routine and should be incorporated into your plan for optimal results.
7. 30 Day Fitness Challenge
I encourage you to take up a 30 Day Fitness challenge if you are thinking about starting to form an exercise habit. It has everything that is essential to easing into the habit. It starts slowly with exercises you can do at home and the intensity of the workout increases at a good pace with rest days included! I myself took up the abs challenge and loved it. Choose one you will like and get started! You can find the challenges at: 30dayfitnesschallenges.com.
These are ways that are tried and tested. They work for me and I hope they work for you too. Good luck with leading a healthier lifestyle and getting your dream body! Set your mind to it and you are already halfway there. Are you all set to stick to your workout resolution this time?