While many wish there were some magic potion or one killer exercise that would shave off all belly fat, that is not how things work in the real world. While there are lots of things that you can do to improve your fitness in the long-term, there are no quick fixes when it comes to getting fit and healthy. In fact, being fit and healthy is a long-term change that includes your mind and body in tandem together. Read on to find out more.
You have to do the work
Being fit doesn’t happen overnight, and you should be wary of anyone that suggests it does. Of course, there are pills and potions that are advertised as help to you achieving that goal. But you need to bear in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. If a magic potion existed, Oprah Winfrey would still be wearing those Size 10 Calvin Klein jeans.
Getting fit is a process. You will have ups and downs on your road to success, and that is OK. You are human and some days are going to be better than others. Some days you will be able to run farther or lift heavier than others. You don’t have to smash a personal best every time you workout. You just have to keep on exercising regularly, having faith that you will see a difference in the way you look and feel if you keep at it.
You have to build it into your lifestyle
Once you have realized that there are no shortcuts, the next step is to build your exercise routine and eating regimen into your lifestyle.
Make things easy for yourself by setting your exercise clothes out before bed, if you exercise the first thing in the morning. If you aren’t so much of a morning person, aim to get your workout fix during your lunch break at work. Or if you are struggling to find time in your day, make your actual commute to work your workout by walking or cycling.
Food prepping is a great idea, so you’ll always have healthy food on hand. Get some more information at dailyburn.com.
Pick a workout that makes you happy
Another positive step that you can take once you realize that there are no quick fixes to getting fit is to be clever and pick an activity that works for your goals. Remember, as you have to put the work in to get fit, you will be doing these activities a lot, potentially for a long time. So there is no point going to your gym’s latest fad workout session based around dancing if you hate to dance.
Of course, there is no harm in trying out something that you have never done before. That’s great, and you might just find another activity that you enjoy that you can add to your repertoire. But don’t force yourself to go to something that you hate all the time. This is going to winnow away your motivation quicker than anything else, and then you will be back at square one.
You have to keep at it
Speaking of motivation, this is a key aspect that you need to nurture once you have realized that there is no shortcut to getting fit. Motivation is the thing that is going to keep you exercising when you’ve had a bad day, or you’d rather stay home and watch your favorite boxed set. Or when you don’t quite seeing the gains that you had predicted.
In the end, it is your level of motivation that will keep you chipping away at your fitness goals until you reach and achieve them. So it’s worth looking after.
But what can you do to increase your motivation for exercise? Well, there are plenty of things. You can ask a friend to exercise with you. So even if you don’t fancy working out, you’ll go because you don’t want to let them down. You can also invest in some equipment so you can exercise at home. Then you don’t have to head out to the gym every time you want to work up a sweat.
Having the right fitness apparel can be a major motivating factor for some people as well. You are always going to enjoy something more if you look good while doing it. Happily, there are so many specialized training gear that you can get for the activity you choose. Like yoga pants, water wicking tops for running and jersey for cycling. Check out the product info from Retro2Ride.com for some examples of this.
You can’t let ‘all or nothing’ thinking get in the way
Once you have realized that there is no shortcut to fitness you need to adjust your mental view of exercise. You should try not to let ‘all or nothing thinking’ get in the way of your goals. This is when you have to do something perfectly, or not at all. You can get some more information on this at verywell.com/.
For example, if you pick something that is intense because you want fast results. Let’s face it, who doesn’t? But you have to be careful not to set yourself up for disappointment. A few hard workouts aren’t going to yield instant results. Feeling miserably sore and unaccomplished won’t be good for your motivation, or your fitness goals. It will feel like a failure on your part, even though the activity you choose wasn’t of a suitable intensity.
It’s a much better idea to pick something that you know you will be able to stick to for a longer period of time. Isn’t it better to go for a run three times week for 30 mins for six months, than run for two hours a day for three days and then give up? You really need to look at the long-term picture, because it is that will help you achieve your fitness goals.
