Health Photos
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Be it lack of motivation or lack of time, more than half of new exercisers quit their fitness programme in 6 to 12 weeks of starting it. Here are a few tips to keep your workout regimen going.
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Be realistic: Set a rational goal. Start out walking or biking for a few minutes daily and add a minute each week until you are active for at least 30 minutes on at least 5 days a week. Do not expect yourself to jog for an hour each from the very first day of your fitness programme.
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Motivate yourself: Self motivation is the key to losing weight and staying fit. For motivation, try wearing a pedometer to track the amount of steps you take while walking and challenge yourself to increase them. Reward yourself with a chocolate or an ice-cream occasionally.
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Add variety: Varying the order of your exercises as well as the machines you use helps keeping monotony at bay. Don't be afraid to test new classes and routines. After all, salsa dancing, rock climbing, martial arts and boxing all help keeping your body fit and spirits high.
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Evaluate yourself: Tracking your progress every six weeks, measuring and testing yourself to gauge advances in your aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility and body composition all help you in sticking to your exercise regimen. This will make you feel better about yourself.
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Don't go by numbers: Don't feel disheartened if you don't shed what you had planned. Gradual changes in eating habits along with being physically active will help encourage a permanent lifestyle change. A slow weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week, until the desirable body weight is reached, is best.
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A trainer can be handy: Once you are set with your regime, seeking out support by hiring a training partner or joining a gym adds quality to your fitness programme. It also helps you learn different exercises under the guidance of a supervisor and minimises the risk of injury.
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Stay active at work: Try to move more throughout the day. Skip the elevator and head for the stairs and for everyday jobs like getting grocery, ride a cycle or walk instead of taking the car.
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Diet matters: Exercising doesn't give you the liberty to indulge in all kind of junk and oily foods. Having a burger or pizza once in a blue moon is OK but making them a part of your daily meals will take away all the benefits your fitness programme could give you.
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Make exercise a part of your life: Do not take your fitness programme a short-term goal that you have to achieve. Take it as a way of life. A key to weight maintenance, weight loss and fitness is to increase daily activity like taking the stairs, rather than the elevator or walking rather than driving when possible to make a real difference.
