It is quite challenging to get fit and stay that way. For many of us, there are times when we get the energy to get off the couch and stretch while other times, for whatever reason, we are just not in the mood for that. How can some people maintain a lifestyle that allows them to stay fit? This is what you are about to find out.
1. Train consistently
In 2002, Chase Squires admitted that he “looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the beach”.
Eventually, Squires realized it was about time he changed so he bought a treadmill that he started to use every day. It didn’t take too long until he joined a marathon. He was doing extremely well in it but he decided to keep participating. Now he has completed several 50 and 100 mile races.
The bottom line message? You don’t need to be a fitness expert to be able to get into shape. Squires’ best advice is to be consistent. In his early days walking on a treadmill, he only spent about 20 minutes on it. The most important thing is that you keep up the habit of exercising: no matter how little it is, you will make improvements over time and get better at it.
2. Follow an effective training routine
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has recently carried out a survey collecting data from 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers. The idea was to find out the most effective training routines to get fit. The top 3 that emerged were:
Strength training: One can tone the entire body by simple doing 20 minutes of strength training 2 times a week.
Interval training: an example of such a workout can be walking for 3 minutes and running for 3 minutes. These successive alternation of the workout has proven to be extremely effective.
Increased cardio/aerobic exercise: Simple workouts like walking and dancing have been proven to really work if the trainee is willing to accumulate 60 minutes doing it everyday. More intense activities like running are also advised.
Ultimately, what is going to increase the chances of sticking to your workout is whether you enjoy it or not. So, whichever training routine you choose, make sure you have fun while doing it!
3. Set the goal right
Kara Thompson, the spokesperson for the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), recommends that people should be realistic when setting up their goals. As a beginner, don’t try to run 5K already. Start with a 15 minutes walk and build it from there, gradually increasing the time and intensity of the workout. Don’t forget to acknowledge your improvements.
4. Rely on a friend
Probably, you are not the only one trying to shape up and/or lose weight. If you know someone who would like to have a healthier lifestyle, you could try and work together towards this shared aim. This will help you not to feel lonely on this journey and a new strong relationship can come out of it. Setting a time to train together can also act as an external motivating factor when you don’t feel like exercising.
5. Schedule workout time
We all have a busy life so trying to find time to workout might be a little bit of a challenge for some people. The good news is you don’t have to follow other people’s timetable or even use fancy exercise gear. With just a little space in your room you can try basic things like push-ups, squats and lunges just to shape up your abs, arms and thighs.
If after a while you are still finding it hard to stick to your training routine, revise these 5 points and see whether you can implement more of them!
