Changing your lifestyle to achieve better fitness is a conscious choice. Getting fit may not be easy but you will feel better, look better, and probably be happier. What do people that have made the transformation know that you don't? Here are some tips to make your fitness goals a little easier.
1. IDENTIFY YOUR WHY
You are the only one who knows WHY you want you want to make fitness changes. Without knowing your WHY, you will just be going through the motions and that usually doesn’t work out well. Ask yourself:
2. DEVELOP A PLAN
In order to achieve true fitness you will need to balance both exercise and fitness. (http://valleybootcamp.blogspot.com/2010/10/balancing-act-of-food-and-exercise.html). Depending on your "WHY" you may need to work more on one then the other until you even things out. For example, if your goal is to gain strength and you are happy with your weight you may decide to spend more time strength building while you continue to eat a healthy diet. In fact, as you build strength and muscles, you may find that you need to eat more to remain at your current weight. Conversely, if you are strong but wish to lose weight, you may decide to accomplish this goal through a healthier nutrition program. Keep in mind that you will still want to exercise since that will help you burn those calories faster. Either way, you need to make sure you always have enough fuel for your activity. Ask advise from an expert or trusted friend if you are unsure of the right thing to do.
Once you have an idea what you want to work on, you need to commit to putting your plan into action.
3. COMMIT TO SUCCEED
Hold yourself accountable any way that you can.
Now that you have committed to your goal, accept that it will take small steps to succeed.
4. TAKE BABY STEPS
Changing behavior is hard. It would not be realistic to expect a sugar lover to stop eating sugar and not have food cravings. A couch potato cannot stand up and run a marathon. Start easy. Pick one habit at a time to focus on. Here are some suggestions that might help with your fitness goals:
You get the idea. Make small changes, and keep going. Week one park your car further than your destination, week two continue parking your car further and further, and drink 16 ounces of water before each meal. The third week, pick another behavior to change. Not every behavior can change easily. You may need to postpone one and try another. On a week when your mind is more focused you may be able to succeed with a behavior that you once struggled with.
Soon after taking baby steps you will learn to run.
5. BORN TO RUN
We were not meant to be stationary people. We were hunters and gatherers that slowly became computer oriented, tv watching non active beings. Mark Sisson, author of “The Primal Blueprint” (http://www.marksdailyapple.com) compares healthy lifestyles to that of primal man. Get up off the couch and move. Here are some things to try that will burn the fat:
6. CATCH ALL OF YOUR ZZZZZZ’S
Consistent bedtimes and sleep duration is the best way to optimize sleeping patterns. Inconsistent bedtimes or awakenings will result in partial sleep deprivation can affect mental and physical performance on the following day.
Most people have days when they feel sleepy and lethargic. Others suffer from extreme fatigue on an everyday basis. Are you overtired? You can take this quick quiz to see if you are getting enough sleep http://www.fitnessonline.com/tools/sleep/, but you probably know the answer already by the way that you feel.
The importance of sleep is getting more and more publicity these days. In an article by Colette Bouchez on http://www.webmd.com research shows that those who sleep less weigh more (http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping.) While doctors have long known that many hormones are affected by sleep, David Rapoport, MD, associate professor and director of the Sleep Medicine Program at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City, says it wasn't until recently that appetite entered the picture. What brought it into focus, he says, was research on the hormones leptin and ghrelin. Doctors say that both can influence our appetite.
7. DRINK, DRINK, DRINK YOUR WATER
Your body is between 60 -70% water. Water helps regulate body temperature, assists in getting vital nutrients to your cells, transports oxygen, protects joints and organs, removes waste, and more. Staying hydrated is extremely important. Using water to replace higher calorie drinks such as soda, juice or alcohol can save you hundreds of calories. It can also serve as an appetite suppressant. Often when we think we are hungry we are actually just thirsty.
8. EATING HEALTHIER IS NOT A DIET, IT’S A WAY OF LIFE
“Fitness is not only about exercise. It’s about changing your lifestyle. It’s about choosing health over convenience,” said Erik Martin, owner of Valley Boot Camp Fitness in River Vale, NJ. According to Martin, changing your lifestyle is the true measure of success. There are several lifestyle changes that can assist in better health and fitness:
Remember, nothing is 100%, so don’t be fanatic about what you eat or how much you exercise.
9. ALLOW YOURSELF TO CHEAT
Sure you have to remain dedicated to lifestyle changes. But no one is perfect. If you “slip” don’t distress. That could lead to self destruction. Dust yourself off and start all over again, fast! Consider the 10% rule. If you follow your plan 90% of the time, and “slip” 10% of the time you’re doing great! Reward yourself!
10. REWARD YOURSELF
Get the dress, jeans, bathing suit… You deserve it!
Be sure to read other tips on our website at www.valleybootcamp.com and Fan us on Facebook
1. IDENTIFY YOUR WHY
You are the only one who knows WHY you want you want to make fitness changes. Without knowing your WHY, you will just be going through the motions and that usually doesn’t work out well. Ask yourself:
- Am I unhappy with the way I look?
- Am I unhappy with the way I feel?
- Do I want more energy?
- Do I want more stamina?
- Do I want to fit into a certain size or piece of clothing?
- Do I want more confidence?
- Why do I want this?
2. DEVELOP A PLAN
In order to achieve true fitness you will need to balance both exercise and fitness. (http://valleybootcamp.blogspot.com/2010/10/balancing-act-of-food-and-exercise.html). Depending on your "WHY" you may need to work more on one then the other until you even things out. For example, if your goal is to gain strength and you are happy with your weight you may decide to spend more time strength building while you continue to eat a healthy diet. In fact, as you build strength and muscles, you may find that you need to eat more to remain at your current weight. Conversely, if you are strong but wish to lose weight, you may decide to accomplish this goal through a healthier nutrition program. Keep in mind that you will still want to exercise since that will help you burn those calories faster. Either way, you need to make sure you always have enough fuel for your activity. Ask advise from an expert or trusted friend if you are unsure of the right thing to do.
Once you have an idea what you want to work on, you need to commit to putting your plan into action.
3. COMMIT TO SUCCEED
Hold yourself accountable any way that you can.
- Join a group. Groups make it easier for you to be accountable because other people are watching. People will know if you aren't doing what you are supposed to. Maybe you enjoy the competition of others. If it helps you with your commitment, go for it!
- Write it down. Most people succeed better when they write it down. Buy a special pen and notebook and make time to reflect. Carry the notebook with you so that you can write things as they happen, or set aside a certain time of the day that you will always sit down to write. Make sure you set yourself up to succeed.
- Find someone to commit with you. If your doctor said you couldn't eat the day before a test, you wouldn’t eat. You know that your doctor would know that you ate, so you don't eat. A friend, just like a doctor, can help you stick to your goal. You and your buddy should be able to help each other stay on track.
- Are you competitive? Sparking a friendly competition will help make things more fun for some people. Consider picking a friend that is a good match for you—maybe someone who likes the same sports as you or someone who as the same time free during the day to work on your goals.
- Set up a schedule. Promise yourself that you will exercise daily before work or promise yourself that you will go healthy food shopping every other day so that your food will always be fresh. Choose your plan and make it work.
- Visualize your goal. http://valleybootcamp.blogspot.com/2010/11/visualize-your-goal.html. If you can picture yourself succeeding you can believe it will happen.
Now that you have committed to your goal, accept that it will take small steps to succeed.
4. TAKE BABY STEPS
Changing behavior is hard. It would not be realistic to expect a sugar lover to stop eating sugar and not have food cravings. A couch potato cannot stand up and run a marathon. Start easy. Pick one habit at a time to focus on. Here are some suggestions that might help with your fitness goals:
- Save dessert for weekends.
- Drink 16 ounces of water before each meal. In a study of dieters, those who started each meal with a tall glass of water dropped about 4.5 pounds more over 12 weeks compared to dieters who skipped the water. They also lost the weight about 44 percent faster.
- Don’t eat in front of the tv or on the phone.
- Use a smaller plate when you eat.
- Exercise daily.
- Park your car further from your destination.
- Ride your bicycle to work.
- Increase your exercise each time you work out. If you ran 15 minutes yesterday, run 16 minutes tomorrow.
You get the idea. Make small changes, and keep going. Week one park your car further than your destination, week two continue parking your car further and further, and drink 16 ounces of water before each meal. The third week, pick another behavior to change. Not every behavior can change easily. You may need to postpone one and try another. On a week when your mind is more focused you may be able to succeed with a behavior that you once struggled with.
Soon after taking baby steps you will learn to run.
5. BORN TO RUN
We were not meant to be stationary people. We were hunters and gatherers that slowly became computer oriented, tv watching non active beings. Mark Sisson, author of “The Primal Blueprint” (http://www.marksdailyapple.com) compares healthy lifestyles to that of primal man. Get up off the couch and move. Here are some things to try that will burn the fat:
- Resistance training. Weight training is not only beneficial to the targeted muscle groups, but over time will also increase your metabolism. This means you will be able to burn more calories at rest and spend less and less time doing cardio. Maintaining a healthy weight is a lot easier than losing weight.
- High intensity interval cardio workouts. Doing bursts of high intensity exercise will boost blood flow and oxygen levels. It also helps to build speed, stamina, and speeds up the weight loss process. Interval training will give you a higher caloric burn during your workout, making fat burn at a faster rate.
- Fitness training variety. To avoid hitting a plateau and having stale workouts, change up your training program every 4 – 6 weeks. This will give your body new training stimulus and make it more challenging for your body to adapt to a new routine. Not only will you burn more calories because your body has not yet become efficient at performing the exercises, but it will keep your workouts fresh and exciting.
6. CATCH ALL OF YOUR ZZZZZZ’S
Consistent bedtimes and sleep duration is the best way to optimize sleeping patterns. Inconsistent bedtimes or awakenings will result in partial sleep deprivation can affect mental and physical performance on the following day.
Most people have days when they feel sleepy and lethargic. Others suffer from extreme fatigue on an everyday basis. Are you overtired? You can take this quick quiz to see if you are getting enough sleep http://www.fitnessonline.com/tools/sleep/, but you probably know the answer already by the way that you feel.
The importance of sleep is getting more and more publicity these days. In an article by Colette Bouchez on http://www.webmd.com research shows that those who sleep less weigh more (http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping.) While doctors have long known that many hormones are affected by sleep, David Rapoport, MD, associate professor and director of the Sleep Medicine Program at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City, says it wasn't until recently that appetite entered the picture. What brought it into focus, he says, was research on the hormones leptin and ghrelin. Doctors say that both can influence our appetite.
7. DRINK, DRINK, DRINK YOUR WATER
Your body is between 60 -70% water. Water helps regulate body temperature, assists in getting vital nutrients to your cells, transports oxygen, protects joints and organs, removes waste, and more. Staying hydrated is extremely important. Using water to replace higher calorie drinks such as soda, juice or alcohol can save you hundreds of calories. It can also serve as an appetite suppressant. Often when we think we are hungry we are actually just thirsty.
8. EATING HEALTHIER IS NOT A DIET, IT’S A WAY OF LIFE
“Fitness is not only about exercise. It’s about changing your lifestyle. It’s about choosing health over convenience,” said Erik Martin, owner of Valley Boot Camp Fitness in River Vale, NJ. According to Martin, changing your lifestyle is the true measure of success. There are several lifestyle changes that can assist in better health and fitness:
- Snack smart. If you are craving a high calorie sugary food, pair it with a lower calorie healthier choice. For example, if you need chips, eat them with salsa.
- Soup first. Eating soup before your meal adds volume and fiber to keep you from overindulging later in the evening. http://valleybootcamp.blogspot.com/2010/11/soup-slimming-food.html
- Eat 5- 6 smaller meals per day. Your body needs a continuous stream of energy and nutrients to maintain daily activities. It is important for your body to become accustomed to a regular eating schedule to keep your metabolism burning energy at a high rate. This means your body will burn more fat at a faster rate and speed up the weight loss process. In addition, try to eat your larger meals earlier in the day so your body has time to burn off the calories you are consuming.
- More veggies, please! Always ask for more vegetables when eating out. It is a great strategy to get full of vegetables and stay away from bread and other unhealthy foods.
- Eat, don’t drink your calories. Calories from drinks like juice, soda or alcohol are a lot more fattening than filling.
- Eat in moderation. Use a smaller plate. Only eat half a serving in a restaurant.
- Target good nutrition. Ensure that your diet is balanced and composed of high quality meats, fruits, vegetables, and other foods is the best way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. The goal is to create a program that you can maintain.
Remember, nothing is 100%, so don’t be fanatic about what you eat or how much you exercise.
9. ALLOW YOURSELF TO CHEAT
Sure you have to remain dedicated to lifestyle changes. But no one is perfect. If you “slip” don’t distress. That could lead to self destruction. Dust yourself off and start all over again, fast! Consider the 10% rule. If you follow your plan 90% of the time, and “slip” 10% of the time you’re doing great! Reward yourself!
10. REWARD YOURSELF
Get the dress, jeans, bathing suit… You deserve it!
Be sure to read other tips on our website at www.valleybootcamp.com and Fan us on Facebook
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