Tips to achieve your fitness goals
You have decided on your SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals?
Tips to achieve them:
1. Nothing happens by accident.
If you want to be a lawyer, you don’t just wake up one day and you are a lawyer or study for a couple of weeks and done! No, it takes time and commitment so remember that!
2. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore.
Make it fun. Think about the things you enjoy doing, say play tennis, basketball, cycling, dancing, football, running and so on. What did you enjoy doing when you were a child? If you liked dancing as a child, try Zumba or Salsa. It’s a great way to exercise, learn something new, have fun and make new friends.
3. Write down your goals and be specific.
Writing things down makes them more real.
4. Small progressive milestones are important.
Don’t set yourself up to fail and work too hard from day one. You must build it up progressively. If you want to start running, don’t try to run 10 miles from day one, chances are you won’t be able to do it, you will ache the next day and give up. Instead, try to run for 2 miles three times a week in week one and increase to 3 miles in week two and so on.
5. Try to mix it up.
Don’t do the same thing every day or you will get bored and give up. Also, your body will get used to the same exercise and start burning less calories.
6. Ditch the old excuses and don’t compare yourself to others.
Don’t look around at fit people and say ‘they are just lucky to have great genes and fast metabolism’. Come on! Those people probably work very hard every day to stay fit, it doesn’t just happen! And yes sometimes there are naturally skinny people, but are they healthy? Probably not ,unless they also exercise and eat balanced meals. Skinny doesn’t mean fit! So stop using the same old excuses!
7. Believe in yourself!
We both know you can do it!!
8. Work with a purpose.
9. Train with a friend or join a fitness club and make new friends.
10. Don’t forget to stretch every day.
11. Increase fluid intake.
Drink as much water as possible. Also, drink a glass on warm water with lemon first thing in the morning.
12. Control your cravings.
Before you reach out for that chocolate bar, try to drink some water or have a nap. You might not be hungry, just dehydrated or tired.
13. Listen to music during exercising.
Studies have shown that listening to music could increase your endurance by up to 15%. Running without music is also really boring…
14. If music is not your thing, you can still watch your favourite programme and exercise.
15. Don’t forget the endorphins.
Exercising is a proven way to give you an euphoric feeling, in other words makes you happy!
16. Build muscle.
And ladies, no, it doesn’t mean you need to start lifting weights. There are other ways to build lean muscles: resistance bands, medicine balls, your own body weight etc. Or try a boot camp.
