Get in shape – Everything you should know

Pretty much all of us wants to get in shape and attain a Greek god physique or an hourglass figure but the sad reality is that a large portion of people are either too busy or just simple can’t handle the soreness, the sweat and the hunger pangs that comes with working out and sustaining a healthy diet.

Here are a few ways to get in shape and stay in shape for the rest of your life

Determine your why – Finding your “why” is crucial in helping you meet your goals. Why do you want to get in shape? Do you want to attain a beach body? How about joining a weight loss competition? Do you want to grow old with your significant other and be able to play with your grandkids? Do you want to make yourself proud or maybe want to look good naked? Whatever it maybe, tattoo it in your brain because this is going to help you keep going when it’s raining or you feel extremely demotivated or you’re tired or you had a crappy day at work or you had an argument with your significant other or you just want to lie in bed and binge watch The Office and eat viva la pizza.

Read more: 10 Ways to Get in Shape Faster

Aside from your own reason, just look at all that you could gain! It’s good to remind ourselves that exercise is a very powerful tool that has more to offer than superficial benefits. Here are some of the major scientifically proven benefits of exercise that you should always keep in mind:

• It’s one the best investments you can make for your physical health.
• It’s also one of the best investments for your wallet. Think of how much money you save from future medical treatments you can potential avoid if you stay healthy most of your life.
• It’s been proven to be one of the strongest tools for improving your mood (shown to be even more powerful than antidepressant drugs in studies).
• It increases positive character traits such as self-confidence
• It gives you better endurance at sex
• It can create a domino effect of positive change in the rest of your life’s areas

Truly, the only workout you’ll ever regret is the one you didn’t do.

Make lifestyle changes

• Maintain a standard sleeping schedule (at least 7.5-9 hours/day) Lack of sleep can be detrimental to insulin sensitivity. When your insulin is functioning well, fat cells remove fatty acids and lipids from your bloodstream and prevent storage. When you’re sleep-deprived you become insulin-resistant which causes fats (lipids) to circulate in your blood and pump out more insulin. Eventually, this excess insulin ends up storing fat in all the wrong places, such as tissues like your liver. And this is exactly how you become fat and suffer from diseases like diabetes.
• Stay hydrated. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. It also helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. If you’re not hydrated, your body can’t perform at its optimum level. You may feel tired, have muscle cramps, dizziness, or other serious symptoms.
• Eat right. If you want to reach your fitness goal, make sure you’re eating the best foods to fuel your body including lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
• If you want to build a new habit, cluster it in your rituals. Incorporating new behavioral patter with your daily ingrained activities makes it a lot easier for our brain to adapt to it and gradually turn it into a long-term habit.

Formulate a Workout Plan

After you get past that initial momentum and make lifestyle changes, it’s time to devise a workout plan that works for you and that you can sustain in the long haul. First off, you have to set goals which are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely). You could also choose an activity that makes you happy and do it all the time. From there, you can challenge yourself and be stronger each day.

Find a buddy

You’re less likely to bail on a workout if you know a friend is waiting for you, and having a partner is good for emotional support too. Seek out people who have a contagious “You can do it!” attitude and who embody the fitness lifestyle you want. You can inspire and support each other, feed off of each other’s success, and offer up tough love when the complaining gets too much.

Doubts, laziness and having too much on our plate often keep us back from taking action in life. If you’re doubting yourself about getting in shape because you think you’re too old, or too far gone or that you can’t change your genetics, let me tell you that there’s making a decision to better yourself knows no boundaries.

The patterns that you repeat on a daily basis will eventually form the identity that you believe in and the actions that you take. You, and you alone are responsible for transforming your identity and become the best version of yourself. As Aristotle puts it, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Are you now ready to get in shape? Click HERE to learn even more about how to reach your goals for a healthier lifestyle.