By Naomi Shaw
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As we approach the end of one of the strangest years on record, many are thinking about how much life has changed recently. 2022 promises to be another year of learning experiences, as we all reconfigure our lives for maximum health and productivity. If, like many, you have fitness and health goals for the upcoming year, these 10 tips are a great way to make exercise and your new healthier routine simple, fun and transformative.
1. Set goals
Before setting out on your fitness journey, carefully consider what goals you want to achieve. Be it weight loss, or to head off health problems, setting clear and achievable goals is the place to start! It’s critical that you start out with simple fitness goals, and ramp up from there. Small successes at the beginning of the process are sure to help keep you motivated in the long-term.
2. Make it fun
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Exercise doesn’t need to be pumping iron or ultra-marathons. Choose sports or activities that you enjoy, and incorporate them into your daily routine. For example, if you enjoy soccer, join a local adult league for a great team fitness atmosphere. If aerobics or dancing are your happy place, join a local fitness club and take a few classes! You might even discover a few new activities, or even make some fitness-minded friends!
3. Make physical activity part of your daily routine
The Department of Health and Human services recommends that adults get an average of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. It may sound like a lot, but if you break it up into 30 minutes per day, you can already factor in 2 days off for rest! Not so intimidating now, is it?!
4. Ditch your all-or-nothing mind-set
Better fitness and health is a marathon, not a sprint. So forget your all-or-nothing mind-set, and remember to celebrate small wins along the way. Many feel that taking a day off or eating badly negates all their hard work, but they’d be wrong! Don’t eliminate every unhealthy thing that makes you happy, as total avoidance only creates cravings. Simply plan to curtail or moderate your unhealthy habits, in an effort to slowly phase them out naturally.
5. Choose the right outfit and a great playlist music
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When we look good, we feel good, so use your new healthy lifestyle goals as an excuse to go shopping for new workout clothes, or grab a pair of stylish wireless earbuds, to give both your work-life and work out a boost with a motivating playlist, and increased focus on the task at hand. Is saving money one of your goals? Consider visiting a boutique or second hand clothing shop, for great lightly-used workout brands at fantastic prices.
6. Increase Fluid Intake
Staying hydrated is vital to keeping up your energy and getting the exercise you need to stay healthy. For reference, a 150lb woman needs to consume about 75 ounces of water per day to stay healthy. The more you work out, the more fluid you will need to drink, to replace the minerals and nutrients your body loses when we sweat. Water is always an easy go-to for hydration, but some people are getting creative by mixing in coconut water for a little extra flavour and electrolytes.
7. Join forces with friends
You never know which friends might be thinking about their fitness goals, so ask around for a fitness partner! Planning your exercise routine together is a great way to stay motivated and excited, and also gives you built-in motivation to keep going! Choose a friend who you can rely on to encourage you, and make sure he or she is as committed to fitness as you are, to avoid getting dragged down by an under-performing or under-motivated friend.
8. Reward yourself
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Celebrating your successes might be the most important step you take on your fitness journey. Find a way to reward yourself for all your hard work and successes. For example, schedule a celebratory trip when you reach your weight goal, or reward yourself for small, daily victories with a delicious healthy snack, or a simple pat on the back and a smile.
Being more fit means you will feel better about yourself, and will live a longer and healthier life. We are all learning that we can’t control how the world changes on its axis, but we can control our own bodies and our minds. Make the commitment today, to take charge of your health and happiness, by achieving your fitness goals!
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