You know how long you have been thinking about losing those extra kilos. Those love handles, that belly fat, or this double chin ruin every outfit for you. Being active and working out regularly is not just good for our mind, body, and soul, but it also helps you feel good in that dress.
Now that you know what you want and why you want it, what is the issue? Well, it’s motivation. No matter how much you try, that internal dialogue that tells us to work out tomorrow or grab takeout takes over.
When this happens, it can be hard to follow through on your plan to make it to the gym and prioritize fitness. (Read more: Happy New Year 2024: Best Home Remedies to Cure The ‘New Year Hangover’)
We’ve compiled a list of six practical ways to help you stay motivated and on track to meet your fitness goals.
Know your ‘why’
You can’t always depend on external reasons, such as a vacation, to motivate you to lose weight. Defining your “why” for losing weight will give you a personal or emotional investment in your fitness goals.
Pre-plan your meal
Doing this properly is half a battle won. Most of the time, people lose weight. You don’t need to follow any fancy diets to lose weight. Just mindfulness helps you a lot, and pre-planning is your best friend in that. Just remember the 1-1-2 rule. 1 source of protein, 1 for carbs, and 2 for fiber and plan every meal according to that.
Don’t go cold turkey
People commit this mistake at the beginning and harm their weight-loss journey. In overexcitement at the beginning, we usually pledge to never touch fast food, but that’s not possible, especially when getting unhealthy food is so easy and cheap. So, appoint those days, like two meals a week or one meal a week. And try to get that meal during the day. Avoid at night.
Have a backup
Put a “just-in-case” bag in your car with a pair of workout clothes and shoes. Also, have an alternate workout ready, such as a walking route to work, when plans change.
Remember the 3 x 10 rule
Short on time? Busy? No issues. Just take a 10-minute walk, three times a day. Switch out your evening walks for a few squats, pushups, and crunches, and you’ll have a total-body workout. All of these mini-workouts add up quickly and have a big effect on your overall exercise minutes for the week.
Post-it Notes
Use sticky notes with positive messages about losing weight. Put them on your alarm clock, mirror, or computer at work. They’ll act as a constant reminder of your weight-loss goal.
Use social media
Use social media as a way to stay on track with your weight-loss goals. One study found that the support, accountability, and even healthy competition in online groups can help you adhere to an exercise routine.
