If you follow our blog, you’ll likely have seen our post about the most common New Year’s resolutions.
As something of a follow-up – and knowing that there are plenty of us trying to beat the bulge right now – we thought we’d look at fitness this week. This is perhaps the most common of all life goals, and for good reason. Being in good shape can help us feel better in mind and body, but how can we make getting there a little easier? Well, we’ve collected up some top tips to give you a head start in getting fit and healthy this January.
Aim to feel full without eating too much
Okay, so this one may seem like an impossibility, but there are one or two ways that you can keep yourself feeling full without eating more. The more full you feel, the less you’ll want to eat, the more pounds you’ll shed – simple! The first thing to try is having a full glass of water every time you feel hungry. This way, when you do eat, it’ll take less to fill your stomach and you can cut some calories. Another method you can test out is eating things like porridge and oatmeal for breakfast. They release energy slowly and can easily keep you topped up all morning.
Don’t try to over-do it
One of the biggest pitfalls that people who are getting in shape fall into is trying to do too much too soon. Rather than taking it slow, cutting down on things here and there, and gradually increasing exercise, some people go all out. This can quickly lead to aching muscles and binge eating, so the key (as with many things in life) is to take things in moderation. Improve your diet, sure, but do it in a way that won’t leave you craving sugar and snacks. Likewise, exercise should be ramped up gradually to allow your body to get used to the change.
Focus on what you love
Another stumbling block people face is the fact that they try to force themselves to do exercise they hate or eat foods they don’t like. This is not a good long-term solution. Instead, why not try to focus on the exercise you actually enjoy? If you prefer swimming to running, don’t force yourself to jog every day – just hit the pool. The same goes for foods: nobody wants to eat celery all day long, so mix in some low-calorie foods or fruit that you’ll actually like. This will set you on the path to success much more quickly than punishing yourself with routines you hate and are unsustainable.
Follow these three simple guidelines and you should be on the path to success. And of course, if you want to reward yourself once you’ve done your exercise for the day, why not kick back with a relaxing whirlpool bath – or maybe even go for some bath oils in combination with an underwater lighting system? Go on, you deserve it!