If you’re anything like us, you’ve had your fair share of stop and start health and fitness regimes. The temptation for a bit of cake gets too much, or it starts to rain and going for a run doesn’t feel so appealing, whatever your reasons, you’ve lost track. We’ve all been there and done it, even with the best intentions it’s hard to keep the momentum going over time.
This time it can be different. Oakwood doors; a leading UK door provider are on hand with their top tips for keeping the focus and achieving your goals. Try using some of this advice and see if it helps you keep on the track to success.
- Keep your goals realistic. You’ll only lose motivation if you expect to come out of a week at the gym with your ideal body. It’s going to take time, dedication and hard work, and it will require some sacrifice, but if you keep going eventually you’ll get to where you want to be. Try to keep a picture of how you want to look, or an old picture of how you don’t want to look to remind you why you’re going! It’s great to have visual reminders.
- Meal preparation is key. You don’t have to put a picture of your carefully packed tupperware containers onto any form of social media, though that seems to be the trend these days, but preparing your food will massively help you to eat clean and get lean. We tend to eat the most junk when we are rushed for time or feeling lazy, so doing a few big cooks a week and preparing healthy food for the next few days should eliminate any potentially bad snacking. It is also a lot easier to keep a track of calories if you’ve already prepared what you’ll be eating.
- There’s an App for that. Whatever your goal or prepared method of exercise, there will be an app to monitor your progress. You’ll basically have your own little pocket sized personal trainer and food coach to carry around with you. Get informed and get keeping a track of your diet and exercise. Make sure you’re logging everything, especially snacks and drinks. You’ll probably be surprised at your intake of sugars and fats, they’re hard to avoid! The great thing about apps is you’ll be able to see exactly how you’re progressing, and this should help motivate you to keep going.
- Get your friends involved. Call on your friends and see if any of them are looking to get into better shape or fancy going for a run or hitting the gym a few times a week. Exercising alone is boring, so take one of your friends and catch up on each others lives whilst you do it. You’ll be able to push each other and maybe even grab a healthy bite to eat afterwards, plus you can add some healthy (excuse the pun) competition. Enjoying what you’re doing is the key to staying motivated, plus, you’ll feel guilty for skipping if they have to go alone.
- If it gets boring, mix it up. Don’t keep doing the same routine or the same weight, try new classes, different exercises and new meals. You need to keep it fresh and interesting, and challenge yourself if new ways. Get yourself online and look at what other people are doing or ask for advice at your gym, people love to share what works for them, so take advantage.
Preparing, having company and keeping an eye on your progress are essential components to staying motivated. Make sure you keep challenging yourself in new ways and try not to turn one bad meal into a bad day or week. Remember to occasionally treat yourself too, it can’t be all work and no play, you’ve got to get the balance right.
