Once upon a time, exercising was as integral to your daily life as eating breakfast and going to work. But as work, family, and other responsibilities began taking precedence, fitness may have fallen by the wayside and you found yourself out-of-shape.
Attaining fitness again takes time and dedication; here are a few tips to help get there faster.
Start Slow
Once upon a time, you were an active, fit individual whose days would never feel complete without at least some form of sweat-drenching exercise session. But for some reason–whether a new job, extra family obligations or simply life in general–your fitness regimen has suffered and it now takes more effort just to take a short walk or perform pushups than before.
Regaining fitness after an extended hiatus is certainly achievable; just remember that it won’t happen overnight no matter how great your fitness level was before you stopped exercising.
As with anything new, taking it slowly is key when starting either dieting or exercise programs. Instead of making drastic changes all at once and running a 5K within days, start slowly by eating healthier breakfast each day or gradually cutting back on mid-afternoon snacking; slowly introduce light cardio exercises like walking or using an elliptical; as your strength builds up you can increase workout frequency if necessary and stick with the plan.
At times, you may find yourself more motivated than others to hit the gym, which is perfectly normal. To stay on track with your workouts, schedule them on your calendar so you don’t miss any and set yourself up for success.
Stretching or flexibility workouts should also be an integral part of your fitness regime to prevent injuries and increase range of motion. These exercises can be performed both at home and the gym; there are plenty of online options available too. Achievement also offers flexible rewards services like this that allow users to track diet and fitness goals, earning points that they can redeem for rewards later.
Regaining your fitness requires time, dedication, and perseverance – but the rewards can be great in the end! Strong muscles and toned bodies not only look better; they provide you with strength and endurance to play with your kids or run a half marathon!
Find Your Motivator
Getting back in shape requires finding what drives you. From wanting to look and feel better to competing in an event, find something that motivates you every day that keeps your training plan moving forward. Without clear goals in sight it may be challenging to stay motivated without setting an achievable timeline – breaking them into small steps is best!
If it has been some time since you last exercised, starting slowly is key to success. Try doing something physical every day–even if it means climbing the stairs instead of taking an elevator or doing your errands by foot instead of driving–any small change can make a big difference to your health over time.
Sleep is essential in helping the body recover from workouts, and getting enough rest will keep you on track with your fitness goals. Sleep deprivation has been linked with weight gain; getting adequate rest will keep you focused on meeting them!
When trying to shed pounds, diet plays an essential role. According to studies, 70-90 percent of weight loss comes from your eating habits so prioritize changing those before beginning to exercise and attempt weight loss.
Once you’ve established a regular exercise regime, it is crucial that your workouts vary to keep your interest high and avoid hitting a plateau and losing motivation. To avoid boredom and maintain momentum for exercise, add in new workouts or participate in more active hobbies like playing sports with friends or hiking during weekends; cycling/walking to work can also help as can taking public transportation instead of driving!
Tracking your progress can also help you see the changes in your body and feel motivated to make healthier choices. Consider tracking measurements, progress pictures or energy level as ways to stay motivated. In addition, having an accountability partner who will support and hold you accountable to your commitments may also prove invaluable. Lastly, remember that we all make mistakes and occasionally indulge in unhealthy food!
Workouts That Work For You
At some point, even the most dedicated exercise enthusiasts fall off of their fitness wagon. Unexpected illness, travel plans or bad weather may all throw your workout routine off track – once gone it may be difficult to return.
When trying to regain fitness, it’s essential that you start slowly. Instead of leaping right back in where you left off, take time to understand why and how your efforts went off track in the first place – this will allow you to stay on the wagon in future!
Once you feel settled into your routine, gradually increase the amount of exercise you perform each week. Aiming for both cardio and strength training should improve overall health – starting out with low intensity activities like walking or light jogging as a start would be useful; then add in bodyweight strength training exercises or yoga to further increase flexibility and posture.
At its core, it’s essential that you find a workout regimen that works for you and that you find enjoyable. Anything less will only increase the difficulty of sticking with a fitness routine. Finding an accountability partner such as a friend, family member or an online fitness community may also help keep you on track towards meeting your fitness goals.
While it’s essential to start slowly and set realistic expectations when embarking on any fitness regime, don’t lose sight of the positive aspects of exercise. From improved mental well-being to looking thinner in skinny jeans, exercising has many positive aspects; when feeling discouraged or tempted to skip your workout session try remembering these benefits instead of giving up altogether.
As part of your fitness routine, it may be beneficial to jot down what results you hope to see from it in your daily life. These could range from running a marathon within one year to looking great in jeans; whatever it may be, be sure to select something that will keep you motivated when things become challenging.
Stay Committed
As you resume an exercise regime, consistency is key. Though this may seem hard at times, persevering will ultimately pay off in the form of results and reward for meeting goals – such as buying yourself something fun like new workout clothes or activities related to fitness – however make sure your rewards don’t derail you from reaching them – for instance rewarding yourself with shoes too large is unlikely to do the trick!
Getting back into exercising requires getting back into the habit of tracking your progress, which will keep you accountable and provide visual proof of all your accomplishments. Logging will also show you just how quickly small improvements add up over time!
Remind yourself that fitness and health isn’t about impressing others or fitting into a specific mold; rather, it should focus on making yourself feel good, increasing confidence, and becoming the best version of yourself! The more enjoyable your workouts are, the easier it will be to stick with them and reach your goals!