Losing weight, among other things, seems to be etched in most people’s minds as either a serious goal or a bit of a pipe dream. However, it is no secret that losing weight is easier said than done, which is why most people never do it to the level they want to. A common excuse people use to justify their unwillingness to workout is that they cannot afford gym memberships. Contrary to popular belief, it is highly possible to lose weight and become fit without actually setting foot in the gym. You simply need to plan a few different fitness regimes and a healthy diet to complement this to get the results you want.
Planning Your Exercise Regime
At this point, you have probably admitted to yourself that you haven’t taken the action you were supposed to. If you wish to get started on your exercise regime, here are a few steps you can follow:
Have Realistic Goals In Mind
A common mistake that plagues most people’s chances of getting in shape is the mental jump they make from their current position to the idealized version of themselves.
Instead of comparing yourself to your idols or to the vague image of what you want to be like, you are better off setting goals within your reach so that you stay consistent and motivated to follow it through.
Taking small baby steps and gradually increasing the intensity to a point where it is challenging, yet within your reach, is the best way to see consistent progress and breakthroughs. Having unrealistic goals, and finding out that you are nowhere close to where you want to be is a sure-fire method for failure and loss of confidence.
Regular exercise outweighs rigorous exercise. It is vital to keep the ball rolling every day instead of exercising a tad too much every once in a while, and eventually burning out.
Track Your Progress
Taking it one day at a time without getting distracted seems to be one of the hardest things to do for most people. Accountability plays a critical role in your progress. You ought to hold yourself accountable and make sure you are consistent with your exercise routines and dietary habits. Writing down your progress and keeping track of it can help.
If possible, having a workout buddy is an excellent way to push yourself when your mood does not allow you to exercise. That way you are both accountable to each other.
Fix A Time Slot During The Day For Your Workouts
Watching people pretending not to have enough time for exercise is common beyond belief. Complaining that you do not have enough time to go for a run or stretch, but watching TV and eating pizza instead will not get you very far.
At this point, you probably already know that motivation can only take you so far. A far more effective way of getting this done is by setting time aside for exercise every day. Select a time you know you can be free each day to help create a habit for you, and eventually it will become just a part of your regular day.
Another effective way of setting aside time for exercise is cutting out an unproductive activity. For instance, reducing the time you spend on your phone and other handheld devices can help you to do this.
Give Yourself Rewards To Stay Motivated
Fitness and anything else worth working on are primarily difficult due to the lack of rewards and results you get, particularly in the beginning. There is nothing worse than working diligently at something, trying to make it work, without getting rewards.
You need to reframe your rewards and what success means to you at every stage to ensure you keep going. Having a frame of reference is paramount to stay motivated.
Find A Form Of Exercise You Enjoy
To most people, working out feels like a chore. While it is true that anything may feel like a chore until you get used to it, you can ease the process of working out by choosing an exercise or an exercise regime you actually enjoy.
It could be as simple as walking your dog twice a day. Or if you are a sports person, you could start playing your favourite sport or getting into swimming, among other things. The options for exercise are endless. Ultimately, you need to find a fitness workout for yourself that you enjoy doing every day.
Drinking Enough Water
This tip is often overlooked but critical nonetheless. Your workouts will do you a lot of harm if you are not hydrated. A lack of water can lead to severe exhaustion and possibly muscle tear.
Fitness Regimes You Ought To Know About
The 300 Workout
Yes, you guessed right. This workout is based on the film ‘300’ to an extent. This workout is primarily meant for seasoned weight trainers who are looking to take it up a notch.
Beginners are strongly advised to stay away from this workout due to the increased chances of injury. This is what the workout looks like:
- Pull-ups x 25
- Push-ups x 50
- 50 box jumps with a 24-inch box
- 50 clean and press at 36 pounds
- 50 deadlifts at 135 pounds.
- 50 floor-wipers at a weight of 135 pounds (this is for core and shoulders)
- Finish with 25 pull-ups
Keep in mind that this is a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout, which means you are not allowed to rest between exercises. The total amount of time you take to complete the workout and your score will be recorded.
The Fran
The Fran happens to be one of the latest workouts to grace the fitness channels on social media. Fundamentally, it is a workout that requires you to do continuous pull-ups and thrusters. It has three rounds.
- Round 1 requires you to do 21 reps of every exercise
- Round 2 requires you to do 15 reps of every exercise
- Round 3 requires you to do 9 reps of every exercise
You can make changes in the workout to suit your current capabilities. For instance, you can do jumping pull-ups in place of regular pull-ups. People with excellent fitness can complete the Fran workout in a mere 5 minutes. Keep in mind that this heavily depends on the weights you use.
The Seven
This workout is deemed by many to be an exercise regime for the advanced. This workout is also to be performed in continuous cycles, with each cycle containing seven rounds. This is what one round looks like:
- 7 handstand push-ups
- 7 pull-ups
- 7 burpees
- 7 Kettlebell swings
- 7 Knee-to-elbows
- 7 deadlifts (245 pounds)
- 7 thrusters (135 pounds)
Most people who opt for this workout maintain that the handstands are the most challenging. Considering how difficult handstands are, it is amazing that some people have been able to do the handstand push-ups in under 20 minutes. Amateurs, however, are aiming to get these handstand push-ups done with 30-40 minutes.
There you have it – these seemingly off-beat yet effective fitness regimes may just be what you are looking for to get started on your fitness journey. Be sure to follow healthtrends blog to simplify and make better sense of your process of getting fit.
*collaborative post