The New Year is just a few days away. Pretty soon many of us are going to be making New Year’s resolutions and one that many people make is getting into better shape. The problem is that unless you have a plan it’s easy to become disheartened in a short while and end up tossing the whole idea in the trash.
Before I give you these simple tips, remember the old saying, “A task begun is half done”. Just starting a fitness program can help you tremendously. So don’t put off your “getting in shape” goal. Decide to do it and start today!
To get in shape you need to set some realistic goals. This makes your goals motivating rather than de-motivating. For example, losing forty pounds in six months or 1.5 pounds per week is probably realistic, depending on the weight you need to lose. Losing forty pounds in six weeks, well maybe you better rethink your goal.
Here are some tips that can help integrate your mind, body, and spirit so that you’ll stay on the right track this year to meet your fitness goals.
1. Follow a healthy nutrition and diet plan. You need quality food to get and stay fit. Quality food provides the fuel you need for your body to function optimally. Choose foods that are healthy, contain the right nutrients and are free from chemical additives. It’s also good to take vitamin and herbal supplements to support your health.
2. Get enough rest. For most people this is between seven and nine hours a night. You won’t function well without the proper amount of rest. You’ll also want to sleep with as few interruptions as possible so that you’ll get the right amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This allows your nervous system to heal while rebuilding your body. If you’re feeling sluggish during the day rest or take a short nap to recharge. Talk to your doctor if your always sluggish or have sleep problems. By the way, you can’t exercises properly if you’re always tired.
3. Live in the present Focus on the now. Forget about how you didn’t exercise in the past. Forget about fitness goals you didn’t reach. This can quickly stress you out and de-motivate you. Appreciate what you are doing now, the gift of life you are living in right now. Now is really the only time you have so make the best use of it.
4. Commit to and do your exercise program. You can’t think yourself fit. I tell that to my clients all the time. You have to do some work! Your body actually craves movement and action so give your body what it wants. This helps you burn excess fat and calories and also stimulates you mentally. Some exercises like yoga or Tai Chi, are actually designed to sharpen your mind as well as your body. They can reduce your stress and heart rate, keep you focused on the present, and maximize your feelings of joy. They can also improve your serenity, spiritual faith, and peace of mind.
5. Have and keep a good support system of family and friends. It’s been my experience that these people can give you both the positive and negative motivation you need to achieve your health and fitness goals.
6. Don’t forget to laugh. There are plenty of studies that show that laughter is an excellent countermeasure to disease and can actually play a significant part in healing a sick body. So tell jokes, watch funny movies, go to comedy shows or just laugh at yourself.
7. Focus on the positive. When you focus on the positive you’ll look happier and healthier. You’ll also feel better. I know that this is hard. You just have to read a paper or turn on the news to get a dose of negative energy. Closely monitor what you let yourself read, watch and listen to. If you find that you’re thinking negatively try to find something positive to focus on. Think about your goals or your family, anything that brings your thought patterns back on the positive side.
8. Don’t let your emotions handle you but rather learn to handle your emotions. This doesn’t mean holding all your emotions inside. Stifled emotions can negatively affect your mental and physical health. Understand the things that upset you and determine ways to counteract them so that you can keep your emotional energy positive.
So there you have it, eight simple tips for keeping you’re your body and mind healthy. Follow these tips won’t ensure you a longer life, although it will improve the odds you’ll have a longer life but it will ensure a happier and more fulfilling one. So set your goals to meet your total fitness needs.
If you’d or somebody you know would like to become fit and would like some more information I have a free fitness e-course just for you.
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