Every year, new year’s resolutions are once again written – some fresh ones on the list, while others recycled from last year’s unfinished business – all in the hopes of changing yourself for the better.
Getting in shape, working out, and lifestyle change, these are just some of the things that are never missing, perhaps because a lot of us find it hard to even begin because of a lot of reasons: hectic schedule, work, or life simply gets in the way.
There’s no use to beating yourself up for being lazy, making excuses, or not making time to be active. Admit it, getting started is actually harder than it looks because of a lot of factors: Netflix, parties, and fear of new people at the gym are just a few. But here are some tips that can give you the extra push you need to start getting up and moving:
Be Kind to Yourself
There’s no use to moping around about lost time and you shouldn’t focus on that, instead you should shift your attention to what really matters: your betterment.
This rule also translates to your body – by being kind to yourself, you acknowledge that moving and sweating will actually do wonders to your health and body. It goes without saying that you should know why you want to work out because this will be your motivation to keep moving.
University of Michigan’s Sport, Health and Activity Research and Policy Center director Michelle Segar said our reasons are crucial with how we keep up with our goals.
The author further suggested that we focus on positive feelings that we feel immediately after a workout, like a boost in energy, reduced stress, and new friends, citing that the way we can prioritize exercise is if it can give us valuable benefits to our lives.
Visualize a Better You
This is where planning comes in. You know the times when you feel scared of what the outcome might be so you just don’t take the risk?
In working out, it is refreshing and wonderful to think about what you will be doing during your routines and how you will feel afterward. You may feel tired and sore after every sweat session but you’ll definitely feel stronger and less stressed.
That said it is also essential that you center your plan around exercises that you enjoy the most. It’s hard to start with working out already but thinking about your favorite moves may make it bearable, at least. This way it will be easier to stick with the routine and harder to abandon it because if you love what you’re doing then your body will surely look for it.
Start Gradually
Say you are motivated today more than ever to start and you feel you can lift the entire world with all the excitement. While the hype is admirable, you should definitely start with something that you can do and is actually safe for you.
It is best that you appreciate every small thing that you do because it’s not easy to wake up early to work out or to even find the will to sweat it out. If you’ve established a workout plan, you can spice things up a bit every now and then so as to refrain yourself from being bored of the same routine.