I am finally adjusting between work, working out, Mia, and everything else life throws at me and I'm ready to be posting more frequently again. I always love this time of year because a lot of people set out on their New Years fitness goals and resolutions and even though the gym is packed, it's filled with positive mindsets. However, a lot of people also give up on these goals mid way through the year and I think it has to do with unrealistic expectations. I STRONGLY believe that there is no quick way to reach your fitness goals except for hard work. So I wanted to share my top ten fitness tips of all time to help you stick to your goals this year.
1. Fad diets are just that, a FAD. All of these weird "get fit quick" diets out there are such bogus and I know this because I've tried a few. Google the military diet and see just how ridiculous that is. Yes, you may initially lose some weight but once you eat normally and skip the new diet, you usually gain all the weight back and some. I've never seen one that is realistic to stick to. Just eat a balanced diet and your metabolism won't bounce all over the place causing eventual weight gain and lack of energy during your workouts. I see a lot of people go through the yoyo dieting and then they give up because their results are all over the place.
2. Stay hydrated. I'm still bad at this sometimes because I get so busy and forget my water. However, staying hydrated helps you to flush toxins out and it is just so important for your overall health. It helps you lose weight, keeps your skin clear, etc. Go buy one of those hydro flasks so your water stays cold and get to drinking!
3. Get plenty of sleep. I'm also still working on this one personally lol (new baby problems) but I know just how vital it is. I perform better in the gym with the right amount of sleep and my body is less stressed helping me to achieve my goals faster.
4. Love yourself through every stage of your fitness journey. This one was a hard one for me to learn but once I did, I realized I hit my fitness goals much faster. I didn't stress out over how I looked and I promise you that less stress=further goal progression. If you're really hard on yourself then you end up getting discouraged easily and that's when a lot of people give up. Don't give up! Try to find that positivity always!
5. Set realistic but tough goals. You want to push yourself but you don't want to set such an unrealistic goal that you can't achieve it and you get discouraged. Personally, I enjoy a good solid hour workout with a sauna session afterwards but right now it's hard for me to get that workout because I'm so busy and a new mom. So my goal is to workout 4-5 times per week minimum and if it's only thirty minutes then I work as hard as I can in those thirty minutes. Setting my usual goal of six days of working out at an hour each minimum, just isn't going to happen right now.
6. Pack your food. I can't tell you how many times I've made poor food choices because I wasn't prepared and if I was prepared, I wouldn't have made that poor food choice. If you're super busy then at least have a list of places you can get healthy meals from. Also, this always saves you money!!!!
7. Work hard, play hard. I love setting goals and achieving them but you also have to have a healthy balance in your life. Whether that means taking a rest day so your body can recover or eating that donut you always crave so you don't binge on something later. Take a rest day and eat your donut because that is good for your mental health.
8. Don't give yourself excuses. On the opposite spectrum, don't let your rest day turn into a rest week. I have PLENTY of days where I don't want to work out but honestly, the hardest part is getting there. Don't give yourself excuses, just get in the gym. Once I get to the gym I usually have the best workouts on my worst days.
9. Find something you like to do. I talk about this a lot but if you hate weight lifting and that's all that you do, you will NOT stick to it. Find a workout that you like, regardless of what it is because then you will stick to it. There are tons of activities out there you just have to find the right one for you.
10. Document your progress. Sometimes we are our own worst critic and it's hard to see your own progression. If you document your progress you can see just how far you've come and that is the biggest motivation in itself.
I know these are ten simple tips but they are ten golden tips for your fitness success. These tips will never change or go out of style and they will lead you to success. After Mia, I didn't do any crazy diets or workouts, I just stuck to these tips and I've made progress that I'm really happy with. I hope you stick to all your goals this year and maybe my transformation below will give you some motivation! I was 39 weeks pregnant in the first picture and almost 4 months postpartum in the second. :)
katie lynn
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