Obesity is a universal concern. But in our part of the world, it is particularly a critical health issue that is causing numerous diseases. Around 71.6% of American adults, aged 20 or above are overweight. That’s a lot!
Figuring out healthy eating habits and sticking to a workout regimen is not easy. You will need unwavering determination, resolution, and consistency. One fine day you feel highly motivated, you would enthusiastically look up exercises to weight loss and work on sticking to a healthy diet.
But soon enough, you lose all your resolution. Believe it or not, the most common reason is the lack of creating realistic goals in the first place. In addition, the narrative in our heads also plays a role. It makes us overwhelmed, unmotivated, and discouraged. Let’s discuss some practical mental techniques and tips to help you meet your fitness goals.
7 Tips to Stick to a Workout Regimen
Before you start thinking about rather extreme weight loss methods, consider the non-surgical weight loss procedure of a healthy diet, and work out. Here are some effective tips to make your workout routine a success.
- Keep Your Focus on Getting Yourself to Workout.
- Take Baby Steps.
- Mix It Up to Avoid Monotony.
- Bring a Friend Along.
- Track your Progress.
- Get Used to It.
- Hang in there.
Keep Your Focus on Getting Yourself to Workout
Without a doubt, the hardest part of the entire workout routine is to get yourself to the workout. Especially if you have scheduled a morning workout regimen. Whether it is at a facility like a gym, outdoors, or the exercise space in your house, showing up there with the intent of the exercise is half the battle.
Therefore, instead of thinking of how tough the exercise would be or your working out mistakes, just concern yourself with going there. Once you reach there, you will get a mini boost about having been able to take the first step. It will give you the much-needed push to work out for the decided time.
Moreover, don’t rely on external motivational factors. It is observed that people who essentially want a group of people to accompany them to hit the gym don’t stick to the routine for much longer. Therefore, wok on being self-motivated. In addition, meditation can improve wellness and stamina.
Take Baby Steps
So, you recently read a great blog about the benefits of running and it is your first day or week of this new workout routine. Do not try to run 10 miles in a single day. Overwhelming yourself with so much too soon will make you give up. You will end up injured, sore, and discouraged.
If you ever take the advice of exercise experts or trainers, they would always encourage you to take baby steps. Especially when you have just started. You may feel highly energetic and motivated with your new fitness resolution but if you are being hard on yourself, you won’t be able to continue.
Making your exercise routine challenging should be a step-wise process and not an overwhelming one. So, don’t force the boot camp pace on yourself.
Mix It Up to Avoid Monotony
Human beings get bored quickly. Even if you have firm resolve, doing the same type of exercise every day is not a good strategy. If you have a tendency to gain weight fast and you don’t want to mess up your routine, experts suggest creating an interesting mix of different types of workout.
Moreover, exercising different muscle groups will also help in enhancing fitness. If yoga is your usual thing, consider doing cardio exercise on alternate days. If you go to the gym, try switching between various machines for strength training.
Know that it’s not like you have to reinvent the entire workout regimen every week. However, shifting it around a little will only spice things up and will make it easier for you to follow.
Bring a Friend Along
Sometimes you need someone to keep a check on you and curb your inner demons. Having a workout buddy is a blessing. Not only you find a great company and forget counting how many minutes you have spent working out, but it also makes it hard to bail out. You cannot leave your friend there alone!
Just like your partner will steer you back in the right direction on days when you want to hit the couch instead of the gym, they will also help you avoid stress effect on your body by overdoing beyond your capacity.
Moreover, studies indicate that people who go to the gym with a pal work out for a longer time.
Track Your Progress
Keeping a fitness journal or using a fitness app are great ways to keep track of your progress. If you read about the weight loss tips for over 40, you will find that keeping a record is important.
Therefore, keep a keen eye on how much you walk, jog, or lift. Ideally, you should also keep a track of the calories you consume and burn.
Get Used to It
Have you ever read about Keto diet mistakes? Or any diet and exercise routine for that matter? One of the least recognized mistakes is not to consider it a regular and essential part of your daily routine. Considering it something that you are especially doing out of your comfort zone will never let you get used to it.
Therefore, consider your exercise regimen as an essential habit such as eating or brushing your teeth. When you start considering fitness and exercise as mandatory parts of your routine, it will not feel overwhelming.
Hang in There
Do you wonder why weight loss diets fail? Why exercise routine eventually end out of decreasing motivation? All these things happen because most of us are perfectionists. And when we feel that we are lacking, we just leave it completely.
Know that no one is perfect and they don’t have to be in their perfect form when it comes to exercise. Every type of workout requires practice and patience. You have to keep doing it to get the hang of it. So, don’t let your perfectionism overwhelm you. Be patient. And play the long game!
