Getting into shape has to be one of the hardest things to do. You think to yourself that you can use the hour you spent exercising on something more important. Another reason people rarely make the time for physical fitness is that they feel they are unfit, so what’s the point in focusing on fitness? Well, there are a lot of benefits when it comes to fitness. And it’s not only about health. Your overall body just feels better, and even your skin! You sleep better too. The list is practically endless. Here are some of the options on how you can improve your physical fitness daily.
Before you jump into your new routine, you must understand that it is a commitment to work on your body. There is simply no way you can be fit by only giving 50% of what you need to. Then you need to understand the reason you want to get fit. Is it only about making your body better? Or do you need to feel better both physically and emotionally? Great, you’ve established your reasons, and now you can do the following:
Some people can run for miles, and they feel great. It does their body and soul good, and they have a splendid day afterwards. However, running is not for everyone. But that does not have to be an issue. Replace running with a brisk walk if that’s more up your alley. While it will take longer to improve your fitness, you will slowly get there and feel fantastic in the meantime.
If you aren’t into going for a walk, you can opt for aerobics. And what’s more, you will find several aerobics videos and how-to guides online, so there’s no need to join a class. However, you can join a class if you feel as though you’d enjoy it more in a group setting. Another aspect to consider is to combine two or three exercise types to give your body some variety. The World Health Organization also shares the benefits of exercise. This is an excellent piece of information to help you on this journey.
This is a crucial step. Having a clear goal will determine how much work your body needs to do to reach your goal. It also dictates the type of exercise you will do, well, to a certain extent. If you want to get fit, great; give yourself a reasonable amount of time to reach your goal. You will see that your body will indicate that your fitness is improving. Such as being able to jog or even run in certain instances, or the exercise you are doing becomes easier, which means you need to up the tempo. There are also 2023 fitness goals you have to check out.
Say you are after losing 20 inches off your belly; even before you begin your fitness journey, you should measure your waist. Then set aside a day, let’s take Monday, to measure your waistline once a week. Then record your findings. Check this progress only once a week. This way, you can have a pleasant surprise to show how well you’ve been tracking.
If you’ve selected to exercise Monday to Friday in the mornings, stick to this routine. Get enough rest the night before so you are not tired the next day. But also keep in mind why you are exercising and remember that you are allowed to take breaks but that a break should not turn into a month or a year.
Try to document your breaks and see if you are slacking. Try not to be hard on yourself, though. Accountability is about self-reflection, not about being hard on yourself. So being realistic with your expectations and holding yourself accountable will help you achieve your fitness goals.
It might not always be what you think. Say you started running a month ago and feel the slow change coming along. You are breathing better, your sleep is positively affected, and you even drop a few inches off your waist. You can reward yourself with that chocolate you were dreaming about. It does not mean you need to indulge in an entire box, but rather have a small portion. Rewards are always a great tool to keep you motivated. And the best part, you can work those chocolate calories off the next day!
First things first, remember that everybody is different, and you should always exercise according to what your body allows. This routine is great for cardio exercises such as walking, running, and jogging:
Take an hour a day and walk briskly for the first 10 minutes. After that, jog for 10 minutes. Then slow down and walk for 10 minutes. After this, you can run for 5 minutes. Walk for 5 minutes, then run for 5 until you’ve reached your 60-minute goal. This is great until your body starts to get fit; then, you can increase the intervals over time and switch to running only.
Creating a routine, you enjoy and look forward to is the most effective and sustainable way to work on your body for greater improvement.