It’s hard to be original at this time of the year because every single media outlet will talk about ways to keep you on track with your New Year resolutions.
I personally think they are complete waste of time and you should focus on “why” you want to make changes in your life and find all the compelling reasons that are pushing you out of inertia and out of your comfort zone.
The gyms are going to be unbearable for the coming weeks and most of the regulars love to smirk at the idea that this discomfort will only last a few weeks until most people quit all together.
I’ve seen so many people walk into the gym in January and then they just disappear. I’ve also seen a few fairly overweight people who had found their “why” and kept coming back week after week and before you knew it you were looking at a completely different person because they were in the process of changing their health, life and life expectancy.
If you want to be one of these people who sticks with their goal of losing weight or becoming fitter and trimmer, here are a few fail-proof ways to keep your workouts top of mind!
1. Plan your workouts: I can assure you have all my workouts planned for the year in my Outlook. People who value fitness are notorious for planning their lives around their workouts and I’m no different. I’m happy to miss a few sessions here and there when something major comes up, but I always make my workouts a priority on my list.
2. Routines are not only for kids: You can only succeed at losing weight are becoming fitter if make your workouts a routine. I’m pretty regular and I hit the gym at the same time every day. When I go to the gym later, my workouts are not quite the same. I’ve also noticed that if I change my schedule for one week or two, other gym-goers will ask me if I’m okay because they’ve not seen me for a while (that’s how regular I am). My workouts are as much of a habit as flossing.
3. Keep track of your progress: I’ve been working out for so long that my fitness journal is in my head, but if you are starting out, get a plan notebook (hey, you can even get one at the dollar store) and track you workouts. Here are a few things you’ll want to keep track of:
> Timing of your cardio
> Which cardio exercises are you doing for the week (running, skipping rope, swimming, etc.)
> How much repetitions you are doing for a particular exercise
> How much weight you are lifting
> If you are lifting weights, you’ll want to track the body part you are working (so your back, shoulder, triceps, etc.)
4. Set your “why”: You’ve got to have goals that are more compelling than you are tired to be fat. Maybe a more compelling reason for losing weight would be because you want have enough energy to play around with your kids or become a more positive role model for your kids.
5. Don’t limit yourself to the gym: There are sooooooooo many options when it comes to workout out: swimming, skiing, skating, volley ball, soccer, boxing, karate and so many other activities. Heck, you can grab your kids’ hula hoop and start hula hopping your way to a slimmer waist size. If none of those seem to appeal to you, don’t forget there are hundreds of exercise DVDs on the market.
6. Have a back-up plan: If you usually hit the gym at 12 p.m., but you are stuck in a meeting and you have ballet practice for your daughter at 5:30 p.m., you’ll have to find another time to work out later in the week. It might simply mean that you pull out a workout DVD that you have at home and work out while the kids are in bed or the next morning when you wake up.
7. Buddy up: I like to work out alone and I’ve always preferred it that way. If you find it hard to keep motivated on your own, grab a friend or make a new workout friend!
8. Celebrate your achievement: If you see progress in your weight and health, you should surely celebrate your achievement. If you are losing weight you might find that you clothes are a bit loose and it might be time to buy yourself a few new pieces. It could also simply be to get a rewarding pedicure for all of your efforts.
Photos by lululemon athletica
© All copyrights reserved to http://www.eatsmartagesmart.com in all countries.
>>>> If you’re viewing this healthy eating or healthy living tip in an aggregator that collects content from different sites, or as a re-blogged post, please check out the content from the REAL website at www.EatSmartAgeSmart.com
It’s hard to be original at this time of the year because every single media outlet will talk about ways to keep you on track with your New Year resolutions.
I personally think they are complete waste of time and you should focus on “why” you want to make changes in your life and find all the compelling reasons that are pushing you out of inertia and out of your comfort zone.
The gyms are going to be unbearable for the coming weeks and most of the regulars love to smirk at the idea that this discomfort will only last a few weeks until most people quit all together.
I’ve seen so many people walk into the gym in January and then they just disappear. I’ve also seen a few fairly overweight people who had found their “why” and kept coming back week after week and before you knew it you were looking at a completely different person because they were in the process of changing their health, life and life expectancy.
If you want to be one of these people who sticks with their goal of losing weight or becoming fitter and trimmer, here are a few fail-proof ways to keep your workouts top of mind!
1. Plan your workouts: I can assure you have all my workouts planned for the year in my Outlook. People who value fitness are notorious for planning their lives around their workouts and I’m no different. I’m happy to miss a few sessions here and there when something major comes up, but I always make my workouts a priority on my list.
2. Routines are not only for kids: You can only succeed at losing weight are becoming fitter if make your workouts a routine. I’m pretty regular and I hit the gym at the same time every day. When I go to the gym later, my workouts are not quite the same. I’ve also noticed that if I change my schedule for one week or two, other gym-goers will ask me if I’m okay because they’ve not seen me for a while (that’s how regular I am). My workouts are as much of a habit as flossing.
3. Keep track of your progress: I’ve been working out for so long that my fitness journal is in my head, but if you are starting out, get a plan notebook (hey, you can even get one at the dollar store) and track you workouts. Here are a few things you’ll want to keep track of:
> Timing of your cardio
> Which cardio exercises are you doing for the week (running, skipping rope, swimming, etc.)
> How much repetitions you are doing for a particular exercise
> How much weight you are lifting
> If you are lifting weights, you’ll want to track the body part you are working (so your back, shoulder, triceps, etc.)
4. Set your “why”: You’ve got to have goals that are more compelling than you are tired to be fat. Maybe a more compelling reason for losing weight would be because you want have enough energy to play around with your kids or become a more positive role model for your kids.
5. Don’t limit yourself to the gym: There are sooooooooo many options when it comes to workout out: swimming, skiing, skating, volley ball, soccer, boxing, karate and so many other activities. Heck, you can grab your kids’ hula hoop and start hula hopping your way to a slimmer waist size. If none of those seem to appeal to you, don’t forget there are hundreds of exercise DVDs on the market.
6. Have a back-up plan: If you usually hit the gym at 12 p.m., but you are stuck in a meeting and you have ballet practice for your daughter at 5:30 p.m., you’ll have to find another time to work out later in the week. It might simply mean that you pull out a workout DVD that you have at home and work out while the kids are in bed or the next morning when you wake up.
7. Buddy up: I like to work out alone and I’ve always preferred it that way. If you find it hard to keep motivated on your own, grab a friend or make a new workout friend!
8. Celebrate your achievement: If you see progress in your weight and health, you should surely celebrate your achievement. If you are losing weight you might find that you clothes are a bit loose and it might be time to buy yourself a few new pieces. It could also simply be to get a rewarding pedicure for all of your efforts.
Photos by lululemon athletica
© All copyrights reserved to http://www.eatsmartagesmart.com in all countries.
>>>> If you’re viewing this healthy eating or healthy living tip in an aggregator that collects content from different sites, or as a re-blogged post, please check out the content from the REAL website at www.EatSmartAgeSmart.com