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Something many people struggle with, is getting into the health and fitness habit and sticking to it in the long term. It’s important that you make this a lifestyle rather than just a quick fix, as so many people make this mistake. If you see health and fitness as a quick fix before you go back to an unhealthy lifestyle, you’re probably going to go to extremes and then end up even less fit and healthy than you were in the first place once you rebound.
Health and fitness can be a fantastic habit and hobby, but you need to know how to keep that love strong. Let’s talk about it in more detail below!
Author Bruce Mars from UnSplash
Keep Your Workout Routine Varied
Keeping your workout routine varied is pretty important. Now, this isn’t to say you should do something completely different every time you go to the gym, as it can be tough to track your progress this way. However, you should include a few different types of exercise, for example, both resistance training and cardio. Including some form of yoga or pilates is a good idea too, so you’re working on your strength, cardio fitness, and flexibility.
When it comes to a gym routine, you can find lots of different suitable ‘splits’ online. For example, you might train upper body one day, then lower the next. You might even like to split the body parts up, so arms, then chest, then quads, then core, and so on. It all depends on what you enjoy and what works for you. Stick to it for maybe 8-12 weeks and change things up a little when you get bored or hit a plateau.
Know When To Take A Rest
Listening to your body is crucial. Taking a rest is essential for making great progress and getting results. Rest days are just as important as the days you spend working out. Having one full rest day per week at least is essential, ideally you’ll have two. Enjoy these days, and if you still want to move consider going on a steady walk, or having a relaxing swim, yoga session or even a spa day. Not every session should be intense and sweaty, as it can wreak havoc on your body and cause stress.
Help Other People To Get Fit
How about helping other people to develop a love of fitness as a way to keep the momentum up? You could start a fitness Instagram for example; this can help you to track your own progress, follow other people in the fitness industry to stay motivated, and share your own tips/advice/things you’ve learned. Going to the gym with friends can be a nice change, and you could help them to figure out what they should be doing in the gym. If you really develop a love of fitness, you could even consider starting your own business with courses like https://origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk/blog/how-to-become-a-kettlebell-instructor/. Many people who fall in love with fitness decide they want to work in the industry!
Treat Yourself
Don’t forget to treat yourself every now and again. How about investing in a fitness tracker so you can see more accurately how many steps you do, what your heart rate is, and how much sleep you’re getting? Or you could invest in a pair of amazing headphones to improve your listening experience. A new outfit or footwear for the gym is always a great motivator, too.
Don’t Eat Boring Foods
You’re trying to be the fittest, healthiest version of yourself, but that doesn’t mean you should eat boring foods. You can make healthy foods delicious with the right herbs and spices, and if you really want to eat pizza, then have pizza! Depriving yourself will do nothing for your mindset, and a balanced lifestyle is so important if this is going to be something that you stick to in the long term.
Track Your Progress Consistently
Tracking your progress is key to seeing how far you’ve come. Oftentimes, we can be blind to how much progress we’ve really made when we look in the mirror, and think that we haven’t made any changes at all. Taking pictures is so important and will help you to see how your body is changing. Writing down the weights you use, or the distance you run/swim will help you to see how much stronger you’re getting. Taking your measurements is key, too, as weight is never an accurate representation of how well you’re doing as it can change all the time for all kinds of reasons!
Keep Your Mind Healthy
Don’t forget to keep your mind healthy. Think of all of the positive reasons you want to stay in your routine; feeling happier day to day, living longer, better physical health, more confidence, and more. Think positive thoughts, and meditate if you can. It’ll make such a difference!