lifestyle

5 Tips to Get and Stay Active

lifestylehealth-wellness

When people find out that I work part time as a fitness instructor, they often ask me about the best activity to lose weight and get fit. The truth is, anyone can start an exercise program, even really grueling programs that will help you drop weight quickly.  Sticking with an exercise program is the key to success.  So, what's the best way to get and stay active?

Fitness woman training shoulders

 

5 Tips to Get and Stay Active

1. Find Your Soul Mate Workout

Movement and exercise isn't a chore, it is a gift.  Just ask anyone who isn't able to participate in their favorite activity.  So instead of dragging yourself to do something you don't like, find an activity that you look forward to doing.  How will you know you've found your soul mate workout?  You get excited when you talk about it and genuinely disappointed when you know you're going to miss a day.

2. Get Support

Summer is the best time to start a new workout program, but the most difficult to stay with it.  Holidays, travel, kids out of school, and visiting relatives are a few reasons an exercise regimen can fall from the top of your to do list.  The best way to combat this is by surrounding yourself with people who will motivate you while holding you accountable.  Your support can be given in person (workout buddy) or via social media.

3. Reward Yourself

Don't use food related rewards - food is fuel, not a reward or punishment.  The best rewards are related to the behavior you're rewarding yourself for. The best rewards for working out are fit gear that pertain to your soul mate workout.  New clothes, shoes, or a heart rate monitor are a few possibilities.

4. Focus On Progress

We all have days when we're not at our peak.  Perfection will lie and say that if you can't give 100% don't even bother.  Progress will be the voice of reason telling you to give what you can.  Perfection will lie and say that if you can't work out X number of days this week you should take the whole week off.  You get the picture.  Do what you can, when you can, to the best of your ability. Look for suppliers of Used Exercise Equipment for Every Budget so you can squeeze in a workout at home.

5. Stay Off the Scale

Tracking your progress is great motivation, but the scale isn't the best way to track it.  As you build muscle and lose fat, your scale may not budge, and sometimes, even go up. Look to your improved quality of life instead.  Are you able to exercise longer, run/jog/walk farther, take the stairs without getting winded, do more reps, or sleep better at night?  That's progress!  And if you still want something you can quantitatively measure, inches lost tells a more accurate story than the scale.

Although the prospect of getting fit can seem daunting, these tips can help you on your journey to better health.

Featured image from blog.doctoroz.com

Have you tried any of these tips?  Did they help you get and stay active?  Do you have any of your own tips to add to the list?

Blog Bio Pic Bio: Reina Floyd is getting real about what it takes to juggle newborn twins, a precocious 7 year old, and full-time work with her passionate determination to reclaim her fitness.  Reina teaches middle school math and group fitness classes in Columbia, SC where she lives with her husband, David, and their three sons.

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