Incorporating Fitness into Your Life

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Towards the end of the year, when people take stock of their lives and draw resolutions, improving their health and wellness and becoming more fit is at the top of the list for many people.

To this end, people join gyms or fitness centres, buy pricey exercise equipment or enrol in boot camps or other exercise classes, determined to exercise for hours every week. But, few people keep up their exercise regime after the first few weeks of the new year.

There are several reasons people reduce the time they spend working out or stop working out altogether, ranging from a lack of time to no longer feeling motivated. Still, fitness should be an integral part of your lifestyle. While fitness is mainly about your physical health, being fit is good for your overall wellness and can positively impact your mental and emotional well-being.

If you’re keen on making fitness a part of your lifestyle, consider making some of the lifestyle changes below.

Pace Yourself

Many folks fall into the trap of attempting to do too much too soon. Setting lofty goals of working out for an hour six days a week is easy, but this isn’t always sustainable, especially if you’ve just started your fitness journey.

If you’ve not exercised in a long time, your muscles will probably be sore after a workout session, so you might need a day or two to recover. Also, if exercise isn’t a part of your routine yet, it may be challenging to find that much time to exercise every day.

One way to build exercise into your life is to start slowly and gradually increase it as you go.

For instance, begin working out for twenty to thirty minutes twice a week. When you are used to this, you can increase it to three times a week. Once you’re comfortable with that, work out for forty-five minutes three times a week.

There isn’t a right or wrong method, but the key is to be consistent and to be consistent, you must find a pattern that works for you.

Fuel Your Body

People may not stick to their fitness goals because they lack energy and are too exhausted to even think about exercising. While life may be busy and stressful, a poor diet can contribute to feeling tired and lacking energy.

Many people skip meals or make unhealthy food choices because they don’t have time to plan healthy meals, but you can’t expect to hit your fitness goals if your body isn’t nourished.

It’s advisable to eat a balanced diet and take supplements so your body is well-nourished. If you don’t have the time to prepare a healthy meal, consider a meal replacement or protein shake. These drinks are great for busy people as you can drink them on the go or between meetings.

There are lots of options available, so it’s best to look for tested and reviewed whey powder, protein powder, or meal replacements and read the labels to help you choose the best one.

Build Movement into Your Everyday Life

While it’s important to carve out a dedicated time a few times a week to exercise, it’s also helpful to make movement a part of your life over and above your dedicated workout sessions. This is good for those who live relatively sedentary lives, like people who spend most of their time seated at work.

It may seem cliche, but every bit of movement helps, whether you’re parking far from the entrance to the mall and taking a brisk walk to the door or walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

It’s often laughable to see people drive to the gym and look for a parking spot close to the entrance, only to go inside and run or walk on the treadmill. Rather than parking right at the entrance, park a little further away and walk or run to the entrance to add to your cardio.

Rethink How You Socialise and Unwind

After a long week, many of us look forward to slumping on the couch with a ton of comfort food and binge-watch our favourite series. Or, we may meet friends for dinner or drinks on a Friday night or a lazy brunch on Sunday.

While you don’t have to cut out these activities completely, how about occasionally changing things up? Instead of dinner and drinks, you could go bowling or play mini golf and grab a late dinner.

Go for a walk after brunch or arrange a picnic brunch at a park. Bring a ball or frisbee along and play football or frisbee. This way, you sneakily get a cardio workout while socialising and spending time with friends.

You can do lots of things that involve movement, depending on what you enjoy, so keep an open mind and be creative.

Final Thoughts

Building fitness into your life shouldn’t be difficult. The best way to live a life of wellness and fitness is to start exercising slowly and build up as it becomes easier. Incorporate movement into your life in unexpected ways and make sure you nourish your body to have the energy to move.

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