The new year is finally here, and if you’re anything like me, getting (and staying) in shape is my number one goal this year. But I’m not going to lie and say that this is an easy resolution for me to follow…it can be hard to stay on top of your fitness when you’re just dying to go home to bed. Fortunately, these five fitness tips will help you keep your head in the game to better crush your new year goals. Keep reading for the five tips below!
Fitness Tips: Exercise
When it comes to making your fitness a priority, you have to REALLY make it a priority. And if you’re feeling a little lazy on any given day, this can be tricky. To best combat feelings of laziness, while exercising, I like to use a reward system. First, plan out a given day/time for your workouts. Every time you complete a workout, you get a sticker. If you can nail two weeks of workouts with no trouble, treat yourself to something nice like a new pair of workout pants.
Fitness Tips: Women
It’s no secret, there are grave differences between the male and female body. Naturally, we have to work out and eat a bit differently than our male counterparts to truly benefit from the exercise. Women should eat a healthy breakfast every day and work to cut out simple carbs like chocolate (yes, even dark) and pastas. Additionally, you should be making it a goal of yours to get plenty of water each and every day. Water is to our bodies what oil is to the engine of a car.
Fitness Tips: Healthy
To truly be healthy, I like to work on each aspect of my body. You can’t make big physical changes just by simply lifting weights or running on the treadmill. It has to be a decent mix of all of the above. Plan out your workouts every week (Monday is arms day, Tuesday is legs, Wednesday is cardio, etc) so that you aren’t left wondering what to do when you make it to the gym. Though it requires some planning, being on top of your workout plans is necessary to be healthy. Additionally, don’t fill up with things like Gatorade and other pre-workout fuels. If you are working out for weight loss, these items are really calorie-dense and can pack on the pounds.
Fitness Tips: Simple
If you are really looking to slim down, add an extra ten minutes of cardio to your daily workout routine (so ten minutes of extra cardio on your cardio-only days). Doing this alone can help you lose as much as five pounds in two weeks. And now for my favorite tip, did you know that you could build more muscle just by getting a few extra hours of sleep every night? It’s true, your body builds muscle when you sleep, so a few extra hours could be just what you need for a more toned physique. Of course, this only works if you are both sleeping AND working out. Sleep alone won’t help, unfortunately.
Fitness Tips: Quick
If you don’t have time for a run to the gym (or perhaps, you don’t have a gym) you can still get a good workout in. Just use this quick at-home workout! It targets all of the major areas of your body and leaves you feeling tired without ever having to leave your house. This one only takes ten minutes and you’ll see the difference in no time at all.
