Get in Shape With 9 Easy Rules To Follow

Everybody wants to be in shape, yet not everybody is in shape, so what gives? It turns out that reaching whatever our fitness goals are isn’t always the easiest thing in the world. Indeed, sometimes it feels like the hardest. We’re constantly coming up against barriers that bump our health and fitness targets further down the priority list. And then there’s the matter of, well, not really knowing what to do even if we are motivated. If you’re struggling to get in shape for whatever reason, take a look at following the rules that we’ve outlined below. 

Find an Activity You Like

Some people genuinely are motivated to get in shape and join a gym to prove it. But in many cases a problem quickly presents itself: they find out that there’s a reason why gyms have a bad reputation. They’re boring. It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re wishing you were doing anything else. As such, it’s recommended that instead of going straight for the gym and the like, look at getting in shape by doing something that you like. Playing a sport might not be better than the gym by itself, but it’ll be much better to play an hour of that sport than lasting just fifteen minutes in the gym. 

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And Make It Easy

Whatever you’re doing, be it running or visiting the gym or anything else, you’ll need all the help you can get to ensure that you actually do it. Vague plans don’t work. If you say you’ll go in the morning, you’ll convince yourself that the extra time in bed is better. If you say you’ll go after work, you’ll say you’re too tired. As such, work on making it as easy as you can for yourself. If you want to go in the morning, then lay out all of your clothes and equipment before you go to bed. When you wake, you’ll just need to take that one step out of bed, and you’ll be on your way. In general, it’s best to completely ignore the voice in your mind that says “you can also go tomorrow…” and just go ahead and do it. 

Sleep Well

When people talk about getting in shape, they’re usually exclusively focused on eating well and exercising. But there’s another factor that’s arguably just as important: sleeping. This plays a huge role in our ability to keep our weight down, and also to have the energy we need to work out to the best of our ability. The hormone changes that lack of sleep causes means we end up eating more. So if you’re serious about getting into a fit and healthy state, then focus on your sleep routine and habits. 

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Set a Target

Even people who are generally motivated to visit the gym and the like can lose interest in a while, and it’s because of one simple reason: they don’t have a target in mind. It’s like anything. If you go for a walk without an aim in mind, you’ll just turn around when you lose some interest in the process. If you knew you were trying to reach a particularly beautiful spot, then you’d ride out the boredom, and carry on walking. The same applies to fitness. It doesn’t matter so much what the goal is, so long as you have something in mind when you begin. It’ll help to keep you focused. 

Shifting Weight

While some people want to gain muscle, the number one fitness goal is to lose weight. We live in a society that pushes people towards unhealthy practices; we’re sat down more than we should be, our portion sizes are huge, and much of the food that’s served is unhealthy. While it’s easy to add more weight than we’d like, it’s also never been easier to lose weight, too. Researchers have figured out a lot of methods that work for losing a few pounds. Crash dieting can work, for example, so look at giving that a try if other methods haven’t worked for you. Once you’ve lost the weight that you wanted to lose, you’ll want to change your habits to ensure that you don’t put that weight back on. 

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Small Changes

In some cases, massive changes aren’t required to get in shape. If you’re generally a healthy person, then it might be a matter of just changing a few things in order to slightly up your fitness levels. For example, you could talk a look at how much you’re walking. If you’re spending too much time in your car or sitting in a chair at the office or the home, then make a few changes that’ll have you using your legs more often. You can also cut out bad habits such as drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes, both of which can have a hugely detrimental effect on your health. Fortunately, the negative side effects will begin to disappear almost as soon as you stop. 

Focus on the Mental Side of Things

There have been clear links made between depression (and other mental health conditions) and poor health. If you’re finding it difficult to get into shape, then look inward, and make sure that everything’s alright. Life can creep up on us and sometimes we don’t realize that we’re feeling off until something happens. 

Find a Group

If you’re one of those people who finds it difficult to be a self-starter, then look at finding a group for your fitness goals. You’ll be able to find like-minded people through sites like Meetup. They’ll be the motivating factor when you can’t quite bring yourself to get out of the home for a spot of exercise. 

Celebrate Your Body!

Finally, one of the best ways to get into shape is to celebrate your body. You’ll be much more inclined to treat yourself well, eat healthily, and exercise if you’re in love with the physical side of life. Treat your body as a temple, and you’ll never move too far off the fit and healthy path.