Whether you’re 18 with an unbelievable metabolism, or 40 struggling to find ways to keep your body intact, this guide to getting, or staying, in shape will help in some way.
Taking from my own experiences, there was a time that I had no job, and school was out, and all I had to do was focus on my health. During those months, I overexerted myself at the gym and was too strict with what I ate. I never had ice cream, or splurged, and that is just not human. It wasn’t until I had almost no time on my hands with my new job that I realized I needed to come up with a better way of staying in shape while still worrying about other things.
1. Eat What You Want, In Moderation
Yes, the number one rule to staying fit and in shape is eating. When your body does not get the proper amount of food, it goes into survival mode by storing fat, which is the one thing we all love to hate. When deciding what to eat, make at least 80 to 90 percent of the food you eat daily healthy, while letting the remainder be some indulgence you just can’t shake. Mine is none other than chocolate, and it’s a big part of my survival these days.
2. Listen To Your Body
Everybody and every body is different. Making the transition from a not-so-healthy lifestyle to say, a vegan diet, may work for some but for the rest of us, it’s not something we’d likely stick to. Slowly changing the type of milk you drink—whole to fat free—and switching breads—white to wheat—are little things that get the ball rolling. Once you’ve come to terms with eating healthier foods, and seeing the benefits it has given you, the results become addicting. Soon, you’ll find yourself drinking almond milk and eating sprouted bread, just because your body literally feels like heaven from eating natural food. Everyone has a different pace, find yours and stick with it.
3. Exercise
Ah yes, everyone’s favorite part of staying in shape: working out. I can remember just starting to begin the process of working out when I decided I wanted to drop some baby fat, and I actually cried because I hated it so much (not to scare you away). Now I can’t get enough of it. I dread the days I can’t hit the gym, just because it makes my mood burst and the satisfaction I get is indescribable.
4. Find What Workout Works
Not everyone is the same, as stated before. The main components of a well-rounded exercise plan include cardio, strength and stretching. Just by going off that, there are so many ways to decide how you want to create your workouts. For cardio: there’s cycling, running, jogging, kickboxing, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and so much more. Strength exercises come from weights, or even body weight exercises. Stretching before and after is an important factor in making sure the muscles release the lactic acid and tension built up. Decide what you want to favor and make a plan based off of that. Remember to let your body rest, too, being overtired can also lead to a less productive workout.
5. Be Confident and Consistent
You are the person you are doing this for, you are choosing health for your own well-being. Do not let anybody discourage your path to getting in shape, and don’t let a few bumps in the road steer you away. It is not always easy to stick to a plan when you have problems going on, or have an unpredictable schedule; just remember why you started and what you want to accomplish!
We live in a world of unrealistic dietary trends and the promises of "losing weight quickly". This guide is made for the long run, the realistic goals, not the improbable. I hope it can help find your niche in working out, like it did for me.
