1
Pace yourself. It is usually better to start of a little easy, rather than taking on too much too soon. This is especially true if you have been relatively inactive for a while, or are older. Taking on too much too soon can hurt your body, causing injury and tanking your workout program. Only do what you can so your body can keep up.
- If you have not worked out in a while, start out small. Spend a week gauging your fitness level. When you have found what's easy and what's hard, start working your way up from there. Only increase by 10% each time to avoid wreaking havoc on yourself.
2
Keep it fresh and fun. Maybe you've been running that same 5k three times a week and that last ten pounds you want to lose just is not coming off. You and your body might be becoming bored with your routine. Mix it up with some cross training, find a class you'd enjoy, or set a new specific exercise goal.
- The best way to lose weight is with cardio and weights. If you have only been doing one or the other, this may be your problem.
- If you hate the exercise, it is not the workout for you. Running is great exercise, but if you hate running, do not run. If you hate doing what you're doing, you will not stick with it. Invest your time and energy into an activity you feel good while doing and it'll become a life-long hobby.
- Change your routine routinely! Changing your routine every few months keeps boredom at bay and helps prevent damage from repetitive use.
- It also allows a program to follow the seasons. Running in the fall may be a pleasure, but maybe not so much in the depths of winter.
3
Change the way you talk about your diet. Telling both yourself and other people that you don't eat certain things rather than you can't eat certain things has been shown to improve your ability to stick to your resolutions
- Likewise, try to think of exercise as a part of your daily routine, rather than something you are obligated to do.
4
Count your calories/miles/steps. If you're only going for weight loss, it's gonna be a drought of results for a while. Instead, consider looking at different numbers that you can see build up on the daily. After just one week of walking, you'll rake up tens ofthousands of steps. That number is going to feel mighty impressive!
- This is where your (b)log comes in handy. Write everything down -- soon, you'll be addicted to the feeling after, anxious to see the numbers pile up. Can you imagine having ran 15 miles (24 km) this week, cutting 4,500 calories and clocking in 30,000 steps?
- Don't know how to count your steps? Simple: Get a pedometer.
5
Only limit, never eliminate food. If your trip to the grocery store involves not making eye contact with the ice cream aisle, you're setting yourself up for disaster. A day is going to come when you decide to throw caution to the wind, abandon Jillian Michaels and decide Sara Lee is your new BFF. To avoid this day from looming on the horizon, allow yourself a bit of wiggle room.
- Never say to yourself, "I can't eat that. I'm dieting." You'll just feel deprived. Instead, eat 1/4 of what you normally might eat, but eat it slowly, in between drinks of water. Drinking more water and eating slowly will naturally cut down your appetite.
- The color blue is an appetite suppressant. If you're having a little cheat, consider putting it on a blue plate.
6
Turn off the negativity. It's easy to get super frustrated when it comes to weight loss. It never, ever, ever goes as fast and easily as we want it. You may feel like you've put in 120% for the last two weeks, get on the scale, and find that you've dropped half a pound. We've all been there, and it sucks. The easiest thing to do is get negative. Don't succumb to it! That's how you become demotivated.
- Instead, concentrate on your progress. That log you've been keeping is beautiful. It's proof that you're on the right track. Go back to it and revisit your numbers. Set aside time to worry later. Right now it's time to make good decisions.
7
Keep it short and sweet. Plenty of us make the excuse, "I just don't have the time," or "Working out is sooo boring!" Well, newsflash: High-intensity interval training can be done in minutes and burns tons of calories. The excuses just got schooled.
- To do this, all you have to do is do intense bouts of exercise between periods of rest. And saying you'll burn calories is an understatement -- they'll practically vanish in a glittery poof of air. It can be done with anything, but a simple example is on the treadmill. Start walking for a few minutes, blast up to 90% of your maximum heart rate for 30 seconds, and then return to your walking speed for a minute. After that, go back to the super-intense level for 30 seconds. Do this 8-10 times. And then? You're done.
- Consult a doctor before you try this regimen if you have even the slightest of health concerns. It is not for the faint of heart.
8
Get some sweet gear. Starting running, going to the gym or taking a class is a lot easier if you have new stuff to try out. Get some new tennis shoes, new headphones, or just a new exercise outfit. Anything to keep the workout spicy!
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