Do you
ever feel that people around you have an easier time being fit and
happy? Do they seem to be capable of losing or gaining weight easily
while you struggle to shed those few kilos that have been building up
over the years?
The
internet is a wonderful place (usually). However, there's a lot of conflicting
information regarding weight loss and fitness. One group says that
doing the ‘30 Days to Six Pack Abs’ program helped them get
ripped abs. Then there's the other end of the spectrum, those who say
that you don't need to work on your abs AT ALL to get a visible six
pack.
Just
like the answer to most things in life, the key is moderation.
Everyone
agrees that fitness is good. It boosts your health, brightens your
soul, calms your mind, and allows you to do more with your life. It
could even help you perform better at school or at work. So, why is
it so difficult for some of us to stick to these goals we make at the
beginning of the year?
Let's
get something very important out of the way. You HAVE to be honest
with yourself.
Deceiving
yourself about what you want is a very common hurdle for someone just
starting off. Some people hide what they really want in fear of being
called vain or selfish. They might be afraid of being judged by
others. Well, guess what? Regardless of what you want, someone will
always find a way to judge you. Ignore them.
Define
your goals clearly. To be able to run a 10k race in under 50 minutes
you’ll have to spend more time running. Doing 9 variations of bicep
curls is not going to help you much in this case, is it?
So what
do you need to do to get onto the path of getting fitter?
It
boils down to the following few habits:
1. Eat healthier.
Notice
that this is a very relative term. Putting less junk into your mouth
is one aspect of eating healthy. Some people might not eat enough
(yes they really do exist). Their appetite, in general, is quite less
and eating a smaller quantity of food makes them full. Eating too
much or too less isn't optimal. More on this in a future post.
2. Exercise
Go for
a run/walk in the morning. Do some HIIT (High-Intensity Interval
Training) or weight training. Maybe go for that yoga class you've
always wanted to. Rock climbing could you be your forte. The trick is
do something you like. If you do something you don't like, there is a
much higher chance that you'll eventually stop doing it.
3. Make small changes in
your lifestyle
You
could take the stairs to go to your office on the 4th floor. Maybe
walk to the grocery store instead of taking your car.
You
could take your kids swimming every weekend and join them. That way
you get time to spend with your children and also get your daily dose
of exercise. Buying a bicycle to commute short distances is also a
good idea.
4. Try not to do too much
too early
A
mistake most of us make is trying to ramp up too quickly too fast.
There's nothing wrong with shooting for the stars (in fact, I would
encourage you to have unrealistic end goals) but nobody ran a
marathon (by the way a marathon is 42.195kms) in under 3 Hours with a
month of training. It would be a recipe to get hurt. Increasing your
speed/distance gradually over the course of several weeks having
enough rest periods is a better strategy.
As the
famous saying goes- 'People overestimate what they can do in a day
and underestimate what they can do in a year'.
5. Change your mind set
Starting
is usually the most difficult phase of any new habit. Over time
though, you learn to enjoy the grind. Good things take time to
happen. Those 15 kilos you want to lose have been the result of
several months/years of negligence. It won't disappear over a week or
a month.
Sure,
some days you just don't feel like it and that's OK. Just don't let
those ‘some days' become most days. Sometimes, the best workouts I
have tend to be on the days I felt too lazy to hit the gym but did so
anyway. That's just how life is.
Getting
fitter is quite simple. You’ll have to make certain changes to your
lifestyle and stick to them.
However,
it isn't easy. Finding time to be able to cook your own meals and
going to the gym is easier said than done. It'll take effort and
sometimes you'll wonder if it's all worth it. Trust me, it is. Things
that matter are usually never easy, are they?
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