Let's face it: one of the most significant obstacles to weight loss is being able to stick to your fitness program. You can start your journey with the best of intentions and a heap of motivation, but often real life gets in the way. Although there are many great products—such as Skinny Teatox—that will support you in your weight loss journey, exercise is a crucial element that can’t be neglected.
However, don’t worry! Not being able to keep up doesn’t mean it’s time to quit! It just means it’s time to be smarter about your workouts! Everyone’s personal journey to being healthy and happy is different, so it’s essential you find the right path for you.
By following this five-step guide, it’s easy to create a fitness program you can work with instead of against!
Step 1: Be Realistic
If you’re searching for a new workout routine, then it's likely you're just starting on your fitness journey or you're coming back from a lengthy break. Whatever the reason, it’s important not to expect too much of yourself.
Many advertised programs offer high-intensity interval training and a daily commitment to working out. While the six-packs abs and pert bums in the videos may make them seem appealing, if you push yourself too hard, then you’re bound for failure.
YouTube is a fantastic resource to help you design the ultimate fitness plan. You can search for beginner routines and create a playlist of videos appropriate for you. If you want to target a certain part of your body, then there are specific workouts available for a variety of different skill levels.
Step 2: Schedule Wisely
The modern world is a busy place, and often our schedules can become jam-packed without us realizing it. If you don't dedicate enough time to your program, then you'll soon find yourself falling behind.
However, it's not always easy to ignore your other responsibilities. Work, family and friendships are essential parts of life that need your attention. Your best bet for fitness success is to ensure your plan can fit neatly into your schedule.
Find points of the day where you always have free time. Good options include first thing in the morning, at the end of a workday or during your weekly time off. Be gentle with yourself, and don't overschedule; doing this will result in fatigue and low motivation! If you are busy with young children, there are plenty of workouts available that allow you to get fit while having fun with the little ones.
Step 3: Do a Test Run
Life is unpredictable; there’s no real way to know for sure if you’re going to be able to stick to a new fitness program. There may be certain exercises you really struggle with, or the time commitment required is greater than anticipated. There’s no harm in giving your new fitness program a test run.
Schedule yourself a week and see how things go. Then do a self-review once you’re done! Ask yourself questions such as the following:
- Was I able to stick to the time commitment?
- Did I have enough recovery time after each workout?
- Do the exercises put too much strain on my body?
- Was I able to keep up physically?
Self-care is number one when it comes to getting fit and healthy. The worst thing you can do is push too much and end up injuring yourself. By assessing the above, it's easy to make modifications that will produce notable results!
Step 4: Troubleshoot
No matter how solid your fitness plan is, there will be times when mitigating circumstances arise. How many times have you started a new workout regimen only to give up completely when you went home for the holidays or on vacation abroad?
Leaving your typical environment always makes it harder to keep up with routine. It's easy to become distracted and tempted by foods and activities that don't support your weight loss goals. If you aren't careful, it's easy to undo any previous progress!
Similarly, it's likely you'll run into unconsidered problems. For example, if you're using a YouTube-based plan and you go away, there are many countries where the platform is blocked. Likewise, if you're relying on a DVD and traveling without a laptop, then you're going to run into problems!
Troubleshooting before you start can highlight these potential problems and allow you to find solutions beforehand!
Step 5: Have a Contingency Plan
Now you’ve acknowledged some of the key danger zones where sticking to your plan might get tricky, it’s time for contingency plans.
Overcoming the practicalities of a change in routine can be simple enough. If you're traveling, you can download videos onto your phone or tablet to ensure they can be assessed easily while offline. Similarly, there are particular types of software you can install that will allow you to view YouTube overseas.
Before you travel, scope out gyms and running tracks in the area. Sometimes you can purchase a visitor pass or even make the most of the free trials when you're away from home!
Maintaining your motivation is a little trickier. A great option is to have a fitness buddy, someone else who's trying to get healthy and lose weight and can be a good influence.
We're all way too hard ourselves when it comes to fitness. Taking the time to evaluate the program you're considering will produce better results.
Make sure to give yourself the best chance with your weight loss goal. Review this guide next time you start a new health routine, and let us know how it works for you!
About the Author: Cassie is a health and wellness blogger. Though she’s an advocate for exercising often and eating well, she knows how hard it can be to stick to a fitness plan. She hopes her writing motivates others on their fitness journeys.
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