There is so much advice out there about eating well and staying in shape. So where do you even start?
How to Staying in Shape
We have narrowed it down to four top tips that you can follow easily and start immediately. Read on to find out more.
Plan Your Meals
If you want to eat well, you have to plan your meals. You can follow a specific diet like paleo and try out some of these. In fact, did you know there are over 500 paleo recipes to choose from?
Or you might need a different approach; for example, starting slow by making small but impactful changes to your already existing eating routine. Cutting out sugary snacks could be a major help in moving towards a healthier diet.
Create an Exercise Routine
Routine is the easiest way to stay on track with your ambitions. If you set in place a solid routine that considers all your daily life tasks, like work, the kids, and other commitments, you will be actively making space to work out.
If you don’t plan, especially when you have a busy life, the chance of you exercising is slim to none. Sporadicity works for some people, but routine works for the majority. Ways to plan your exercise routine include:
- Find the exercises that meet your fitness goals. Do you need cardio to lose weight? Or do you need weight training to build muscle? Maybe you need core exercises to build strength. Wherever you land, you need to know which exercises will help you along your way.
- Look at your diary and incorporate half-hour batches for exercise into your week. This can be a run, a gym session, a PT appointment, or some strength training in the living room. The point is to write it up, so you’re held accountable to yourself and reminded to do it.
Set Yourself Goals and Rewards
Goals and rewards are one of the best ways to stay motivated, but it does require a level of self-control. One example is setting the goal of eating no sugary snacks for five days, and the reward is one threat on the sixth day. This can be whatever you want. In fact, the more decadent the better as you have more to look forward to.
When you have achieved your goal, you get the dopamine release provided by the satisfaction of doing so but also the ‘reward’ that you give yourself too. They are also a great way of looking back at your progress and everything you have managed to achieve.
Forgive Yourself
It’s not always realistic to stick to a strict routine. Unexpected circumstances have a habit of getting in the way and when that happens, you need to be able to bounce back. When this happens, there is next to no point in beating yourself up about it.
There is going to be the odd missed exercise session or a chocolate indulgence here and there. When faced with this kind of anomaly, go easy on yourself. As long as you get yourself back on track and refocus, you won’t have caused any damage to what you are trying to achieve.
Plus, stress is a major contributor to health deterioration so wherever you can, avoid it through calming practices such as self-forgiveness and recognizing your own limits.
Wrap-Up
Eating well and staying in shape are two of the main goals people want to achieve all around the world. The focus is on becoming healthier and achieving something that you can feel confident and comfortable doing. Be strict and be smart but be kind to yourself too.
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch
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