Why do you want to exercise? What is your driving force to change your lifestyle? Is your goal to lose weight, tone up, improve cardiovascular health, prevent or reverse symptoms of disease or illness? Find your inner reason, one that will stand the test of time, and you will stay motivated to achieve your fitness goals.
It’s always okay to look around the gym and be motivated but others, but don’t fall into the comparison trap. There may be someone lifting more weight than you, or running faster; they may be leaner or stronger than you. Results take time and effort and you don’t know how long anyone else has been working towards their goal. Pay attention to your own journey and put the effort into your workouts.
Results are never a straight line. While we’d love to constantly see results, we need to vary our routine to be able to avoid plateaus. You’ll progress much faster at certain times than others, it’s natural, but when you hit a point of stagnation, look to periodization – the systematic planning of training, cycling various aspects of a training program during a specific period. That means: change things up. By doing this, you will stay interested in your workout sessions, but it also gives your body a break from the repetitive exercises you were doing. Ask a personal trainer to create a periodized plan for you.
Whether it comes from a lack of confidence or a determination to lose weight f-a-s-t, beginners are particularly prone to tensing up when working out. New exercisers often do the same routine for the same duration and at the same intensity every time they work out. “So you’ll stay on the treadmill until you either die of boredom or get hurt.This bad habit gets reinforced because, as your workouts get easier, you’re fooled into thinking you’ve become uberfit.
Tips for Fitness
Do’s….
Many advanced exercisers don’t like struggling with things they aren’t naturally good at, so they avoid the exercises that really challenge them, . But those are the moves that help build a stronger, more balanced body and prevent overuse injuries. Whether you’re avoiding squats, crunches, or stretches, add the moves to your routine two or three times a week. Once a week, exercise with a buddy who moves at a more leisurely pace. You’ll give your body a chance to regenerate, and maybe you’ll even have a bit more fun. Fitness fanatics tend to exercise competitively: “That’s why this group has a higher injury rate; they’re always pushing as hard as they can,” . You need to take it easy periodically so your muscles can repair themselves and become stronger before your next workout.
Don’ts….
Tracking your heart rate or running time can provide instant, valuable feedback; but when used obsessively, these tools can dampen the joy of exercise itself — or even make you push yourself when you’re not feeling 100 percent. “Every now and then, go unplugged and focus your attention on what your body is telling you,” advises Experts. Move at a pace that feels good, listen to your body, and enjoy the experience.
Energy bars and sugary sports drinks are necessities for top athletes who struggle to meet caloric demands out on the playing field. Fuel up with three balanced meals and two light snacks, such as fruit and crackers, per day. Any more than that will just go to your waist.