As much as we all have fitness goals at the beginning of the year, simply doing intense cardio and going hungry for 2 weeks in January rarely gives anyone progress and usually just ends up being discouraging. Instead, there are simple routines you can follow in order to keep your self-care routine in-tact all 2019 long, and it's as easy as adding sofritas to your Chipotle order.
You don't need a pricey personal trainer
One of my favorite types of videos to watch on YouTube are those crazy "I got a celebrity personal trainer for 3 months" videos, and the results are always self-care. At the same time, these videos made me think I had to move to L.A. and become famous enough to afford those trainers in order to get the movie star results that they were getting. But then I listened to an hour-long talk by Steve Zim, the guy who gets countless movie stars ready for roles, and learned that fat burning is really easy depending on how you eat your protein.
When you eat carbs, or sugar, also eat protein
Steve explained that when you eat sugar or simple carbohydrates, this spikes your blood sugar, which does a number of things. Not only does this stress your body out, but it also starts a process that makes it harder for your body to burn fat. You can balance out your blood sugar by eating protein when you eat any form of processed carbs, to help your body stay in the fat burning zone. How easy is that? Putting this into practice will help keep you fuller longer, as well. Shoot for a fistful of protein at every meal and keep your body at a fat burning state throughout the day. This hack has helped me a lot because I used to be so focused on eating low fat, that I only ever ate carbs and never got protein. I've actually gone down a pant size since incorporating this into my routine and I feel fuller from what I eat, and honestly just better.
Start 2019 off strong at the gym
In terms of the gym, I personally am more likely to go if I feel put together, which means having a put together gym fit, and wireless headphones. You don't need to spend astronomical amounts to look good, just stick to neutrals, and your go-to colors. For me, those are ice blue and mauve pink. Equipment is also a huge part of feeling comfortable at the gym. I'm really big into bringing barbell cushions so that when I do hip dips I'm not crushing my entire body with the weight. Look cute, have good music and bring what you need, and you'll be feeling good enough to get a good work out in.
Do workouts focused on your goals, not workouts that kill you
A big misconception for new years resolutioners is that getting fit is about slaving your life away on the track or treadmill. If your body type allows it, and you enjoy it, then amazing, however not all of us are cross country runners. You could be susceptible to shin splints, stress fractures, or just really hate it (me, me, and me!). Be honest with yourself about what you want to enhance or change. Let's be real, if you're a girl with an Instagram, you may feel pressure to get on the big booty trend, and as long as it's a healthy, realistic goal I'm here for it. If you're already curvy like I am, try the stair climber instead to tone what you already have and build booty muscle where it counts. Skip the squats and do hip dips with a weight on your stomach, or try workouts like fire hydrants to isolate the glute and avoid building your quads bulkier. Most importantly, don't overdo it. You're building up endurance and fat loss over time and creating a routine. You can't get the body you want in one day, so don't work so hard you can only handle one day.
