Many people agree that taking care of their bodies is one of the most important aspects of living a happy and healthy life. Ironically, many of the same people admit to not knowing where to start when trying to improve their health.
In this article, we’ll try to address that dilemma with nine tips to guide you through the early stages of your journey towards a healthier and fitter lifestyle.
1. Set clear goals
Fitness can mean many things for different people. Identify what you want to achieve in terms of your health and list them down. Remember to be specific with your intentions, whether it’s to pack on a given amount of muscle or shed off a certain amount of weight within a set period.
2. Come up with a plan
Plot out a course of action that you can use to follow along as you tackle your fitness goals. Consider your daily routines and think about how you can include your fitness schedule in and work around it. If your plan involves exercise, know that there are ways to have a good workout even with the tightest of schedules. In terms of diet, come up with a meal plan that’s in accordance with your health goals.
3. Track your progress
Make a record of your workouts and vital stats to gauge whether or not your plan is effective. This is especially important in the early stages of the process as it will serve as your guide in determining what works and what doesn’t. Over time, as you become more familiar with your plan, you may not need to track as often.
4. Make incremental adjustments
You will want to make progress that you can sustain in the long run, so this means to avoid making drastic changes to your habits that you won’t be able to follow in less than a month. Start slow, make a few adjustments along the way, see how it goes, and then take it from there.
5. Get educated
There’s a wealth of knowledge that can be found online. Just remember to rely on credible sources for your information, as there are many self-proclaimed health gurus that could put you on the path to injury or harm. Look for real experts who use scientific evidence to back up their claims.
6. Don’t compare yourself to others
Not feeling happy with your body and comparing yourself with other people is a guaranteed way of demotivating yourself and losing sight of your goals. Every person is on their own fitness journey, so take pride in the fact that you’re well on your way.
7. Celebrate small milestones
Take the time to acknowledge various milestones that you reach along the way as you aim toward your fitness goals. Reward yourself with new clothes to complement your improved physique, or indulge in a delightful massage as a treat.
8. Accept that progress is not linear
Keep in mind that you will experience many ups and downs throughout your fitness journey, so don’t panic when you see results that are not what you were hoping for. Plateaus and slowdowns are normal in the fitness journey. As long as you’re constantly bouncing back and making overall progress towards your goals, don’t stress! You’re doing just fine.
9. Use every resource available
Seek out the help of professionals in your area for times when you might feel stuck with your progress. They will be able to offer a fresh perspective and ways to help you get around those hurdles. If you find that your stress is your biggest setback, seek stress management help. If you find that your gut needs a reset, undergo a professionally supervised detox. There are so many things you can do to improve your wellbeing. The Internet can be incredibly useful in finding services and professionals that can help you attain your goals.
Wrapping up
Don’t get discouraged when you are faced with hurdles along the way, as the journey to having a healthy and happy life doesn’t happen overnight. We hope that the tips given above were helpful and ignited the motivation in you to set off on the road to better health.
If you’re looking to get healthy and fit in this new year, get in touch with us to see how we can help.
By Jason Mallia Acupuncturist Sydney Naturopath
Integrative Medicine