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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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