If you’ve decided it’s time to get physically fit, good for you!  There are countless physical and mental advantages to maintaining a healthy weight and getting fit for life, even beyond looking in the mirror and liking what you see. 

When you take care of your body, you just feel good. While reclaiming your healthy and/or weight loss is not something that comes easy to anyone, there are things you can do and add to your workout program to help you achieve your goals. 

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Exercise

Sweating is always effective.  In order to burn calories and reduce fat, you need to do a workout that gets your heart beat up and your blood pumping.  Luckily, there are many forms of vigorous exercise to choose from – you don’t have to run or do crossfit or whatever the latest trend is. 

If you enjoy the gym (and you know I do), weights will help build lean muscles and strengthen the body.  Bike riding or swimming are also great ways to get a full body workout.  A brisk walk or jog is also effective.  The point is to MOVE!  There are so many ways to exercise and get in shape; you can even alternate your workout from week to week so that it never gets old or boring, allowing you to stay interested and get the most out of each workout. 

Importance of Supplements 

While dietary supplements from companies like Nutra Health Supply are not new to the market, they are gaining popularity for many reasons.  A pre-workout supplement can help you train harder and remain at a peak performance level throughout your session.  In addition, taking certain supplements prior to workouts can help stimulate metabolism so that you burn calories faster and reduce body fat.  Taking supplements prior to beginning a workout can even help decrease the amount of time it takes to recover afterward.

A Well-Balanced Diet

Try as I might, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.  They go hand-in-hand.  If you leave out half of the equation, you’ll never reach your fitness goals.  A healthy diet consisting of lean meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and plenty of water will help you lose the weight faster and allow you to see the benefits of your workouts in less time.  As an added bonus, without the heavy starches and sugar in your diet, you’ll remain energetic throughout the day, making school, work, or play time more enjoyable. 

Importance of Picking Up the Pace 

A great way to keep the weight off is to remain active.  If you tend to stroll along, pick up the pace.  If you park your car upfront near the store, move it back a few rows and take a brisk walk inside the store.  When you’re home in the evening get up and move around rather than sitting in front of the TV all night.  If you have children, find active things to do with them on the weekends like going to the park or the YMCA for a swim.  The point is just to remain active!

Meditation for Stress Relief

Many people who are unable to lose the few extra pounds have trouble due to stress.  Stress can make your body store fat which translates to added pounds.  A great way to reduce your stress is to mediate.  Just a few minutes a day in a quiet environment can help you shed those pesky pounds and clear your mind, a win across the board.  ← Y’all know this isn’t my strong point… but I’m working on it.  I actually went to yoga Wednesday!

Warming Up Before Exercising

Warm-ups are essential to getting your body ready for a workout.  They allow you to increase your heart rate prior to getting into the workout and get your body ready to perform.  At the end of each workout, it’s also important to cool down and left your body gradually turn to a normal heart rate and blood pressure to avoid extreme soreness and stiffness.  The older I get, the more important this becomes!  

The Bottom Line

Getting into shape takes time.  Make sure that you set realistic, achievable goals so that you don’t feel disappointed and give up.  Rome wasn’t built in a day!  Habits take time to form.  The good news is that with a strong commitment and focus, you will lose the weight, tone it up… whatever your goal it.  The point is to love the body you’re in!

Looking for a jump start?  Sign up to get my free Macro Calculator!

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I’m really working hard to stick to good habits after a crazy move!

What advice do you have for staying focused?

Are you working toward a fitness goal?