When you think of your health and fitness journey what comes to mind? Is it the sweet taste of victory or the painful reminder of constant defeat?
The simplest way to live a healthier lifestyle is to start preparing for your future today. With a little self-control, endurance, and planning, you can really have a year-round, healthy lifestyle plan that works for you.
It all starts with consistently pre-planning your week. Each Sunday night, take a few minutes and determine your meals and exercise times for each day of the week. You can even write it all down and post it on the refrigerator, or somewhere you will be sure to see it.
When deciding the time of day for your workout, choose a time that consistently fits into your schedule, like every night at 7:30 p.m., or each morning at 6 a.m. You will have better odds of actually completing the workout if you have already given yourself time for it. Conversely, if you have to carve out time in your day, there is a good chance that exercising will fall to the bottom of the to-do list, and may never happen at all.
Exercising doesn’t have to take an endless amount of your time. The key is to plan at least 30 minutes of physical exercise per day, doing something that you enjoy. It’s so easy, it’s like a walk in the park, and actually, that’s exactly where you can start!
One of the best ways to ease into your new fitness plan is to walk every day. If you think you’ll have trouble making a daily walk a habit, find ways to “make” yourself walk. For example, you might take on a couple dog walking clients or schedule an evening walk with your partner or neighbor. If the weather conditions aren’t right for your time outdoors, you can try running up and down your stairs at home.
After you are comfortable with your consistent, 30-minute walk, try stretching your workout routine to be a little longer. You might find yourself enjoying the daily quiet time and health improvement so much that you can work yourself up to jogging and running outside or at a local gym.
Exercise is very important in any health plan, but working out is only half of the battle. The other half is healthier eating, which can take just as much endurance and self-control as a workout. Try a few small adjustments to your diet at first, such as limiting your sweets intake to one small portion a day, and cutting out sodas. Then, once you are brave enough, maybe say goodbye to bread, and hello to veggies instead! If you are a bread lover, this one might be painful, but the end result is so worth the challenge. Instead of hamburgers or sub sandwiches, try stuffed peppers or lettuce wraps. By replacing the bread with a healthier substit
you are a bread lover, this one might be painful, but the end result is so worth the challenge. Instead of hamburgers or sub sandwiches, try stuffed peppers or lettuce wraps. By replacing the bread with a healthier substitute, your body is getting more of the nutrition it needs without the extra fillers that can be found in bread.
You can track your calories and workout routines in a smartphone app like MyFitnessPal, and see your progress. You are at the beginning of an incredible lifelong path to a better you, and it all starts with the steps you take to be healthy year-round.