How many times have we said in our lives “I’m going to get fit and healthy!” We make ourselves promise that once the weekend rolls around and Monday hits, we will be entirely new people. We psyche ourselves up, tell ourselves that this time will be the time that we finally get into shape, yet as Monday afternoon rolls around, we find that we have no motivation whatsoever. We come up with excuses, procrastinate and all too soon it’s the end of the day and nothing has been done. We tell ourselves that next week will be the one, that we mean it this time. And so the cycle continues. If you are truly looking to get fit and healthy, there are a few things you can do that will make the process that little bit easier.
Why is it a good idea to improve your health and fitness?
It reduces your dementia risk: By getting fit, studies have found that it can boost your physical and mental capacity, reducing the risk of you developing dementia or other cognitive conditions. Skills such as dancing which require you to memorize a routine are particularly good.
It can reduce stress – Regular exercise can boost your mood and reduce anxiety. It does this by releasing endorphins which help your mood and by raising your body temperature which has been found to reduce your nerves.
It can improve your skin – Exercise increases blood flow and this in turn helps to improve your skin, so not only will your body look better physically, but your skin will too!
It can improve your overall health – If you are fit and healthy you are much less at risk of illness or disease such as heart conditions and high cholesterol. This can help you to live a much happier and healthier life in the long run.
Here are some top ways to make fitness fun…
- Find a workout that you actually enjoy
When you think of fitness, if it makes you groan in despair, then the likelihood is that you are doing an exercise which you don’t actually enjoy. There are so many different ways of getting fit out there, why waste it on something you find boring or really difficult? If the idea of running fills you with dread, why not enrol into a local exercise class or group? You could see how to get started with Xtend Barre, a barre-based, full-body workout, or why not try one of the many Les Mills classes? There are classes such as Body Pump, Body Balance and Body Combat all of which can help you to get fit, while also being great fun at the same time. Try out a number of different classes and exercises and find out which one is the best for you, you should hopefully find you soon are looking forward to your next workout!
Cook more interesting meals
A big part of getting fit is not just what you are doing to your body, but also what you are putting into it. If you eat rubbish like a lot of refined sugar, fizzy drinks and unhealthy, fried food, you will likely feel sluggish and not want to work out. If you eat healthy foods that are packed with nutrients and vitamins, you will find you have a lot more energy. There is a common misconception that healthy food is boring, but that is far from the case. Why not get some healthy recipe books that can give you ideas of what to cook? By making the meals you cook interesting, you are much more likely to enjoy them. You could also try enrolling into a local cookery school, or taking an online cookery course. These will help you to get inspired and meet other like-minded individuals who are looking to cook new foods too. You could find that these new found culinary skills benefit you in a myriad of ways and you could even get your partner or kids to join in with you! By making data-wpel-link=”ignore”cooking an event it is much less boring and you will be looking forward to eating the food that you create. It could be a good idea to batch cook your meals and freeze them if you are really busy. That way you will still eat nutritious and delicious food, but won’t have to worry about fitting in the time to freshly cook and prepare everything after a manic day of work or looking after the kids.
Invest in some nice fitness wear
What we wear can have a huge impact on how we feel about ourselves and the same applies with our sportswear. If you are looking to get more motivated with your workouts, why not look to buy yourself some new fitness clothes? By rewarding yourself with new workout clothes, you are rewiring yourself to associate exercise with positive results and this can help you to feel more motivated and disciplined. It also helps you to avoid the temptation of junk food and bad habits as you know you have spent money on your new workout clothes and so should enjoy these, rather than the money going to waste. There are many companies out there that are dedicated to fitness wear and let’s face it, we all love treating ourselves to something new to wear! It is a good idea not to spend too much at first, but once you have really got into your fitness, to upgrade your collection. One thing you will need is a good pair of trainers, particularly if you are going to be running. These will help to protect your feet and ankles from injury. You will also want a good pair of sports leggings, a breathable top and a jacket or hoodie that you can pull on at the end of a workout.
Do exercises that are good for your mental health
If you are looking to improve your mental health, then why not incorporate exercise into your daily routine as something to help with this? Exercise has been found to greatly help with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. One of the first reasons for this is that it gets endorphins pumping around your body. The second is that it gives you something to focus on and an outlet for your stress. When you are working out you are distracted and don’t have the time to be worrying, stressing or overthinking. You can just zone out and focus on your goal for the time which is either the run or the workout you are currently doing. It is a good idea to also do exercises such as yoga or pilates. These are both great for helping with your mental wellbeing as well as getting you fitter and aren’t too strenuous on the body. Try starting your day with yoga – you are bound to notice a big difference to how the rest of your day goes. It is a good idea to end your session with some time to reflect, recenter yourself and think of things that you are grateful for or happy about.
Look to go on a fitness holiday
If you want a way to really get motivated to get fit and healthy, why not look into a fitness holiday? There are a whole host of fitness holidays out there that you can choose from, it is up to you to find the one that will suit you best. You could go on a yoga retreat in Bali, a hiker’s trip in Switzerland, or to a dedicated fitness retreat. These sorts of holidays are all great for a number of reasons. One of the first is that you can’t talk yourself out of it – once you have booked and paid, you will have to go along with it, there is no putting it off until the next week! Another reason is that it will be a challenge that you can take on and really be proud of. A fitness holiday will show you just what you are capable of, so in the future if you begin to doubt yourself, you can look back and really be happy with what you achieved. It will also teach you how you can be fit and healthy in your everyday life and stay that way. It is a brilliant way to combine the fun of going on a vacation with a whole host of health benefits and it may show you a host of exercises that you can do which you might not have thought of before.
These are just a few simple ideas that can help you to make fitness fun. By implementing these into your everyday life, you will find that soon you are a much happier, healthier and fitter you. Remember to not put too much pressure on yourself and take it at your own pace. Even a little more exercise than you were doing before is an achievement and something that you should be proud of.
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