|
::Top 10 Tips for Achieving Your Fitness Goals 1. Make Exercise Part of Your Routine Exercise should be a regular part of your day, not something sporadic. Just as you set aside time for meals, sleep, kids and work, set aside time for exercise. Pencil it in on your calendar, program it into your smartphone and stick to it just like you would any other important appointment. For best results, you may find that exercising at the same time and on the same days each week (such as first thing in the morning Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) helps you stay on track. 2. Give Yourself Permission to Spend Time on “You” Many adults juggling work and family life find it difficult to justify taking time for exercise, as that's time that could be spent with family, running errands or getting ahead at work. If you fall into this mindset, it's time to give yourself permission to exercise. This “me” time will not only boost your health on both physical and emotional levels, but it will provide an excellent example for your children on how to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you're not feeling fit and healthy, you won't be able to take care of the rest of your obligations, or your family, so let go of any feelings of guilt you have about taking time to workout. 3. Set Realistic Goals Your fitness program should fit in with your lifestyle. This means you may head to the gym three days a week, then spend weekends out riding bikes with your family, ice skating, working in your garden, dancing, or playing sports with friends. Remember that physical fitness is not just about how many minutes you log on the treadmill, it's a lifestyle that you can tailor to your unique needs and interests. Keep this in mind when setting your exercise goals; if you know you'll be miserable jogging at the gym, plan to get your cardio in by jogging around your neighborhood or hitting a challenging hiking trail instead. If you're someone who likes the stability and convenience of gym equipment, plan more workouts at the gym. 4. Hire a Personal Trainer or Get a Workout Buddy The beauty of having a personal trainer is not only their expertise in which exercises you need to get the best results … it's the motivation factor, too. When you set appointments with a trainer, you suddenly have someone to hold you accountable, making it much less likely that you'll skip out on your workout at the last minute (not to mention that you've invested money in it, too). If a personal trainer is not in your budget, don't worry. Getting a workout buddy -- a friend, family member, colleague -- can give you many of the same benefits on the motivation front. When you set up a workout schedule with your buddy, you both act as each other's personal cheerleaders, encouraging one another to stick with the plan. You can also celebrate your milestones and exercise successes together. 5. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Working out is, well, work, and there will be times when you'd rather sink into your couch and put your feet up instead of heading to the gym. For these times when motivation is lacking, remember why you've committed to your exercise program in the first place: your health. New research shows that exercise can help you prevent about two-dozen health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, depression, high blood pressure and dementia. It can even slow down your rate of aging.2 Plus, exercise will tone your muscles and reduce your body fat, helping you to look great on the outside, and boosting self-esteem in the process. Just try to get benefits like these from sitting on the couch. 6. Make it Convenient Exercise really should be an enjoyable part of your day, a time you look forward to and embrace. But keeping this attitude will be difficult if you have to travel a long way to the gym before you even start your workout. You'll also be much less likely to stay committed if exercising is a hassle. To make exercise as convenient as possible, pick a gym that is very close to your home or place of work. If you're a morning exerciser, pack your gym bag the night before so you can grab it and go in the morning. If you exercise after work, bring your bag with you to the office so you can stop at the gym on your way home. Another great idea if you have the space and budget is to purchase a few key pieces of exercise equipment for your own home, such as an elliptical machine, treadmill, or weight set. This is the most convenient option of all, especially if you like working out privately. You can also try a mix of at-home workout DVDs. 7. Fit in Workouts Even on Your “Off” Days Life is busy, so even with the best intentions your workouts may sometimes get sidetracked by travel, work or kids. Learn to roll with the punches and on the days when you don't have time for a regular workout, squeeze in some exercises on the sly. For instance, bring an aerobics DVD with you when you travel so you can workout in your hotel room (or just hit the hotel gym). At the office, exercise at your desk by doing standing push-ups (place both hands flat on your desk, take a few steps back, and push!), or pumping your arms over your head briskly. You can also do jumping jacks, squats and lunges just about anywhere, or try standing with your back against the wall, then lowering your knees to a 90-degree angle (as though you're “sitting” without a chair) and holding for 60-90 seconds. You can even keep a set of 5-, 10-, or 20-pound weights near your desk and do some quick bicep curls while making phone calls. When you're out with the kids, try jogging a few laps around the playground while the kids play, or putting your little ones in a stroller for a brisk walk. If you're exercising at home, let your child try to do yoga along with you, or use your infant as your “weight” and lift him over your head to tone your arms or hold him while doing squats to work out your legs. If you have a new baby, place him flat on the floor and do push-ups over him (with your face over his) while keeping eye contact and making expressive faces. Many gyms offer childcare services, too, which provide another option. 8. Keep it Fun You'll be much more likely to workout if you enjoy it, so incorporate a wide range of activities that appeal to your interests. Try kickboxing or dance aerobics one day, weight training, Pilates, swimming or yoga the next. This will not only keep you from getting bored, it will ensure that you're working all of your muscle groups and getting both cardio as well as strength-training benefits. 9. Reward Yourself When you've stuck with your exercise plan for a week, a month or more, stop to give yourself a great big pat on the back … or treat yourself to a special treat, like a massage or a new piece of clothing to show off your new fit physique. This will keep exercise in a positive perspective and help you to keep striving to reach your next exercise milestone. 10. Support Your Exercise Habits With a Healthy Lifestyle As you become more physically active, support your newfound healthy habit by broadening into other positive habits as well. Eating right, getting plenty of sleep and keeping your stress levels to a minimum go hand-in-hand with exercise, and when combined are one of the best “prescriptions” for health and happiness out there. edit "PHOTO iMPED ADS GROUP"
Size: 1000 X 665
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 1 month ago - Created by HEALTH & FITNESS iMPED - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - HEALTH & FITNESS iMPED
|
|
Size: 899 X 898
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 2 months ago - Created by James Franco - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - James Franco
|
|
Size: 359 X 357
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 months ago - Created by patrick knox - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - patrick knox
|
|
Size: 444 X 444
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 4 months ago - Created by Patrick Blanc - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Patrick Blanc
|
|
Size: 1223 X 1830
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 1 year ago - Created by Andrew Harrison - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Andrew Harrison
|
|
Big Pat
Size: 612 X 612
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 1 year ago - Created by Jef Pelingo - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Jef Pelingo
|
|
Big Pat
Size: 2304 X 3072
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 years ago - Created by Laura - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Laura
|
|
Size: 932 X 862
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 years ago - Created by Neil Lindsay - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Neil Lindsay
|
|
Size: 554 X 868
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 years ago - Created by Neil Lindsay - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Neil Lindsay
|
|
Size: 501 X 591
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 years ago - Created by Neil Lindsay - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Neil Lindsay
|
|
Size: 878 X 682
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 years ago - Created by Neil Lindsay - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Neil Lindsay
|
|
Size: 1070 X 1600
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 3 years ago - Created by Andrew Harrison - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Andrew Harrison
|
|
Size: 1600 X 1200
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 4 years ago - Created by Morgan - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Morgan
|
|
Big Pat
Size: 1600 X 1200
Keywords:
Recent Updated: 4 years ago - Created by Nick - View
Copyright and permission to use should be sought to the author - Nick
|
|
|
