So you’ve been essentially sitting for the last few weeks. Probably feeling unmotivated to get up and out of the house. You’ve decided you are ready to try (again maybe) to get fit and healthy and up to feeling like your best self. It’s tricky to figure out what method is right for you, especially knowing that there is no single path that works for everybody. You are unique and so will be your way of getting yourself fighting fit! Here is a general step by step method in unveiling your fitter, happier, healthier self!
Set some SMART Goals, Pick some Specific goals so you can figure out what steps are needed to achieve them. SMART goals are SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT and TIMELY.
For example: Lose 7kg by the end of this year by going to the gym 3 times per week and eating one vegetable eat week than the week before.
If you’ve found that reaching long term goals haven’t worked for you in the past, try getting yourself into some good habits. A fail safe way to get a habit to become a habit is to incorporate these behaviors one at a time. Start with 30 day challenges, hopefully by the time day 30 rolls around, the habit is well engrained.
For example: “I am going to drink 2 glasses of water before 9am every day.”
Set a reminder in your phone or check off a calendar each and every day.
- Identify Why You Haven’t Stuck With It
If you’ve tried to get in shape in the past and failed, it’s important to know why. It will make a world of difference when you educate yourself on the hurdles that caught you unaware in previous attempts during your fitness journey.
- Clean Your Diet
80% of your success in your fitness journey depends on your diet. It’s a tricky area to implement and stick to changes. A common struggle people run into is when they try to make too many changes at once. Similar to how you might change your habits one at a time, changing your diet is given the best chance of success when you pick one food change every few weeks. Great places to start could be: Drinking one less sugary drink per day, eating more vegetables, cooking your own dinner at least once per week.
- Find Your Activity
We are designed to be active. If you’re go-to line is “I don’t like exercise”, then you probably haven’t found the activity for you! Whether it’s a team sport like softball or soccer, Tennis or Swimming for solo athletes or Yoga for slow movers – there’s an option out there for you. If you don’t like to move then it’s time to try new things. A Strength and Conditioning Class can give you the group atmosphere for support and equally keep you away from the spotlight while you’re sweating up a storm.
- Put It Into Action As a Lifestyle
This is a journey, a lifestyle change – not a fad diet or a short term result. If you’re hoping to create a fitter, healthier you, then this is a long term game. You’ll thank yourself in 6 months when you’ve committed to the small changes in the long run.