In times where digitalization has bestowed the ambiguous boons of automation and speed, it has also given us a bane for our existence; stress.
Stress plays a significant role in the evolving lifestyles and changing consumer patterns. Customers are no longer looking for products since they are after experiences.
The smart marketing in the new millennium is centered on people’s insecurities and has pushed a considerable amount of viewers to pursue procedures that can get them the Jenner-Kardashian busts and bottoms.
Fitness is a goal for many. Whether you are on the Ashley Graham side of body positivity or the gym-obsessed Johnny Bravo side, this blog is here to help all.
We have carefully studied the current lifestyles of our readers and come up with a list of straightforward tips that can help you beat the procrastinating monkey in your brain. So without much ado, let’s jump into it!
Have a clear vision of fitness
When speaking on fitness and exercise, people usually have vague goals about getting in the best shape. They start rather passionately but then lose the motivation to continue.
A report by WHO revealed that over 30% of men and women in England are reported to be inactive.
We have often considered fitness as a short term goal, which is precisely why the motivation evaporates in the second week of the ‘new year, new me’ initiatives. The author of No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness, said that it is better to prioritize immediacy of rewards. It is crucial to remember why we are starting something and how many pit stops would our journey to Damascus need.
Willpower is not all
Anything that requires willpower is not something that you genuinely want.
If you make a slight change in your perspective, you can win this game. Instead of thinking about ‘why to exercise?’ why not ask yourself about ‘how many benefits you can obtain from walking an extra mile or completing a new circuit? ’
The additional gratification helps people stay on track. You can start maintaining a log of your calories consumed, burned, and needed.
You can get a few of your friends on board too. If you start exercising while doing something else, perhaps taking the stairs at work or walking a few blocks could work ideally. The goal here is to remain persistent without building pressure on your mind and abilities.
Making a new pattern
As common logic goes, you need to plan and prioritize. If you do not have time in the day to exercise or forgot to keep your calories in check, what would you do?
You could be working two jobs or caring for someone at home. You require an initial action plan. And it would help if you stuck with it. After the action plan comes to a coping strategy that allows staying loyal to your regimen.
These plans will help you create a new habit. Your program would enable you to stay prepared. If you are on your way to a Nottingham gym, you must have a bag of clean sweatsuits and necessary appliances packed and ready! This planning will help you develop sustainable changes in your behavior.
Kindness to self is essential
It is evident that making significant changes to your dietary trends, exercise routines, level of physical activities, and what not could deplete your motivation. Stumbling blocks could come from stress at home, depression, and fatigue that could hurt your physical activity.
We cannot say that an inactive individual is not moving due to their lack of motivation. One could be under other constraints in their private life, which can move you from your routine of 4 gym days per week.
You have the right to take a day off, have a cheat meal, or skip exercise for a few days if you feel under the weather. But a crucial factor here is to maintain the four-day rule. Don’t self-sabotage your progress by pushing yourself too hard.
Illness, injury, and pregnancy need time
You should not exercise at a gym if you are not feeling well. Trainers from reputable gyms ask their clients.
Any difficulty above the chest, such as a cold or a slight headache, allows you to work out, but if you have trouble breathing- rest is a must! Remaining sensible about when to rest and when to take the pace higher. Your instincts would naturally guide you after an illness.
Similarly, if you have suffered from an injury, then following the doctor’s advice about your fitness plans is necessary.
You can always look up the Thompson rule of linear progression; your subconscious would always stay at peace with your decision to take a suitable break.
In the case of pregnancy, waiting for the six-week postnatal checkup is well-known. A cesarean delivery would take a lot longer to heal. It would be best if you kept the fact in your mind that the abdominal muscles comprise the core of your body. You will not be able to take hardcore training or work out on high intensity at home.
Use technology to your advantage
The goal-oriented millennials wish to monitor their health digitally. Keeping an eye on your progress is motivation enough to follow your fitness dreams.
Maintaining a subtle level of flexibility in your schedule. Using smart devices or free applications from web stores can help instigate the imagery of a healthy addiction. Nike Fitness and 7 Minute Workout challenge are excellent for exercising, while Lifesum is excellent for calorie monitoring.
Bottom Line
The New Year has just started, and we are sure that many of you would have fitness resolutions. You may have started with a new fad diet, a few extra circuits, and maybe stopped using harmful substances such as alcohol or nootropics. This motivation is always endangered by the aimless swords of time and pressure. We suggest that our readers start slow and remain steady.
Consistency is key. Remember that the rabbit might have been faster, but in the end, it was the tortoise who won the race.
Author Bio:
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook