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New Year’s resolutions are everywhere as we hover around on either side of January 1st. The desire to do more and improve oneself is a great thing. The resolution to add a consistent exercise routine is not only admirable to others, but crucial in improving one’s quality of life. The physical and mental benefits of daily movement and planned exercise are numerous. Here are some tips to help you stay on track and achieve your fitness goals.
First and foremost, it’s important to set realistic goals for yourself. Ambition is necessary in pursuing anything in life, however it is important to know what your body and your mind are capable of achieving in a given period of time. To gauge this you must inspect your exercise history, health history (includes family health history for genetic risk factors), your current lifestyle, time availability, and any other factors that can truly have a bearing on what you can achieve in a given time frame. It’s better to start small and gradually increase your activity level than to try to do too much too soon and risk burnout/exhaustion, or injury (this is where a plan truly makes a massive difference).
Incorporating a variety of activities such as cardio, strength training, mobility and flexibility work, and improving dietary patterns can help you feel better, perform better, avoid plateaus and target different muscle groups. If you’re not sure what types of exercise are best for you, consider consulting with a personal trainer or other fitness professional. ROR Athletics helps you with this in multiple ways. There is a one on one option, a written customized plan available, and both of these options are accompanied by an all inclusive app to help you stay active.
Amongst the things mentioned previously there is one thing a very large amount of people struggle with: diet. A proper diet does not have to mean elimination, it does not have to mean being scared to eat. It is merely the practice of eating to fuel your daily activity as opposed to eating out of boredom or mere habit. Your calorie intake must correlate correctly with your goals, whether that goal is to gain size, drop size, improve muscle mass, and so on.
Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up or have an off day, just understand that it happens (but dont let an endless line of off days be your companion). Exercise and healthy living are lifelong endeavours, and not something that you can stop doing in 6 months time. It is okay to have ups and downs along the way. The important thing is to stay committed and keep trying. Hold yourself accountable, and if you do not trust yourself enough to do it, hire someone to hold you accountable. Soon you will be on your way to achieving your fitness goals in no time.It may be a long journey but it is one worth embarking on.