So Christmas has come and gone. You took a break from your fitness routine over the holidays and find you’re struggling to get your fitness levels back up, right? Well, as we head towards autumn, here are some tips to get you back on track.
Set Out Your Goals
Sit down and list your goals – be specific here, for example, “I want to lose 5 kilograms or 5% body fat”. Also decide how you will monitor your outcomes, such as having a body fat test fortnightly to make sure you’re losing fat and not muscle. Remember to be realistic and make sure your goals fit in with you time and budget. You can also set a time frame at this stage – such as a month to achieve your goals.
Make an Investment
It’s amazing how motivate you can be when you’ve spent money on something. Whether you buy supplements, hire equipment or enlist the services of a personal trainer to help you reach your goals. You could even make a bet with your friends that you’ll reach your goal by your desired date. Why not get those friends involved and make a competition out of getting your fitness levels back after the holidays?
Up the Protein
Increasing the amount of protein you consume (be it via supplements or lean meats and dairy), you can gain extra muscle (remember, muscle replaces fat). Protein also helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Aim to have 2-3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight daily.
Cut out Carbs
Not all carbohydrates are bad, but the processed variety are! These carbs are typically low in nutrient, have numerous added toxins and are high on the glycaemic index. Decrease or totally eliminate processed carbohydrates from your diet to fast-track weight loss.
The Good Fats
Omega 3s help the body to function properly. Fish oils, avocadoes, nuts and olives are great examples of good fats that help you to lose fat quickly. The also boast a whole host of other fantastic benefits.
Water
Water is a brilliant tool for changing your body shape for the good. When you become dehydrated, you cannot train to your optimum and the body can’t effectively transport nutrients or eliminate toxins.
Enjoy Keeping Your Fitness Levels Up
Working out, getting fit and keeping healthy shouldn’t be a chore. You need to find something you love doing so if weights aren’t your thing and you’d rather be out cycling or mountain climbing, go for it. Whichever activity you enjoy, you can manipulate it to suit your goals. So, if you love weights but height traditional cardio, for example, move from one set to the next without taking a break. By doing so you’ll gain optimum strength and muscle while getting the heart pumping which will help to burn calories.
Inspiration
Find someone who inspires you and follow them. Join their Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter followers and stay connected. Having continual reminders to stay on track, that you can do it and that other people are doing it to are all great ways of keeping your focus. Make the technology work in your favour by reaching out to fitness gurus and have an online chat.
So long as you’re enjoying what you’re doing and reaching your goals, you’ll be lease likely to veer off your fitness path during the holidays.
