We all know there are two kinds of people: those who stuck to their New Years resolutions and those who didn't. Some however do try and step it into gear for "bikini season."
I don't fit into either category. For me, I have always been pretty content with my weight, a little pudge here and there, and even though I don't have the best stamina, I still found ways to get my heart rate up and stay active.
However this past week, I have gone from 0 to 50 in what seems like way too short of a time. I have been working non-stop with my team for the past week and we still have a few days to go. From about 8am to 10pm everyday, we have been running and spinning and working out with a personal trainer, and basically just praying that our bodies don't give out on us during our breaks.
For me, preparing for football season and pageant season has been great motivation to start getting into better shape and eating healthy. So here are some tips and warnings on what to do if you had a bit of a lazy summer and are planning on finally getting to work.
1. Take a picture.
Some of your best motivation comes from yourself. Others can come from the satisfaction of actually seeing the work that you have put into it (and perhaps getting a ton of likes for it on Instagram). So take a "Before" picture of whatever you are trying to improve — whether it is your abs, your legs, your arms or even your portion sizes and meals, it is a great motivator to have a tangible marker of where you started.
2. Pace yourself.
If you haven't worked out in three months, and you think you can go back to immediately running a 5-minute mile, you are mistaken. Your body will not listen to you, and you are going to sincerely regret it in the next few days. Pace yourself, don't go as fast or as long on any of your reps or runs until you are confident that you can safely and healthily do those higher intensity workouts.
3. Don't eat that cheeseburger or that fudgescicle.
And that means before OR after your workout. A "fun-food" day is fine, but a reward for going to the gym is basically going to completely negate any progress you have made. Plus all that bad fat and processed sugar is just going to sap your energy and make you feel groggy and even more sore that you would have before. Try swapping out your post workout cheeseburger for some grilled chicken or a protein bar so you can start the healing process with some good protein.
4. Know the difference between soreness and pain.
Tight muscles and soreness are normal for any workout. Pain that makes you want to cry is not. Know your limits so you don't permanently injure yourself. And if you do have an injury, make sure to work around it and even ask a trainer about some alternative exercises for you to do.
5. Ice, Ice Baby.
You are going to be sore, learn how to deal with it. Take a hot bath with Epson salts, get some Tiger Balm/Bengay/Icy Hot, take an anti-inflammatory (Aleeve/Advil/Ibuprofen) and ice your sore muscles. Not only will it feel heavenly, but you will speed up your healing process.
6. Workouts are better together.
Grab a friend or join a group class, because not only will there be more people there to motivate you and help you, but there could even be a friendly element of competition. Plus you can complain together when it sucks.
7. Switch it up.
Doing cardio everyday might seem like a great idea, but if that's ALL you do, you're never gonna get any stronger and it's probably not going to help you in the long run. There are plenty of pre-made workouts that you can find online, on Pinterest or basically anywhere. You can even make a schedule for yourself like Monday: Cardio, Tuesday: Strength, Wednesday: Core, Thursday: Cardio, Friday: Leg Day, Saturday: Yoga, Sunday: Workout Class. Or something along those lines. Switching it up will not only make it less boring, but will help give some of your muscles a break AND help create a stronger full-body work out.
8. Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more.
Stretching will help keep you from straining a muscle and will help you loosen up your body before a work out. If you stretch after, you can lessen the chance you will cramp up and be less sore the next day! Plus it will give you the chance to become more flexible, and who doesn't want that?
9. Set a goal!
Now your goal doesn't have to be anything big. Just make sure you set some short term goals, and a long term goal for health as well. For me, I might set a daily goal of not stopping to walk for the entirety of my run. Or to keep my weights at my highest setting for all of my reps. These daily goals as well as a few long term goals (losing 15 pounds, gaining 5 percent muscle mass, eating healthy for three months) will help keep you motivated.
10. Live!
Working out and staying active will help you live better life, but it doesn't have to be your whole life. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something and you will be so much better off. But if you just can't get up for that 6 a.m. kick boxing class, oh well! Find something else to continue your progress. As long as it works for you, and you're happy and on the road to being healthy, that is all that matters!
