Everyone is always talking about trying to get in shape, but as with anything, the tough part is staying diligent and persistent about it. If you have tried to get in shape before but failed to meet your goals, an important beginning step is seeing why exactly you lose motivation. There could be any number of reasons why, but if you figure out how to combat these common issues it carries over to other areas of life as well. This requires knowing yourself and keeping your goals clearly in focus.
Know What Doesn’t Work For You
While persistence and patience are non-negotiable, not all approaches work for all people. If you hate running, try substituting a different cardiovascular exercise. If you don’t have a gym close by or don’t like lifting weights, perhaps try a different type of resistance exercise. The last thing you want is for your fitness efforts to fall like dominoes because you get into the habit of skimping an important aspect.
Make Sure You Have The Proper Necessities
In many cases, not having the equipment or other necessities is the very thing that stops people in their tracks. Sure, you may have all the energy, pescience select protein, and focus in the world, but if you don’t have the bare requisites for carrying out a successful workout, this can be difficult if not downright impossible to work around.
Buying a decent pair of running shoes is always a worthy investment. You will get a great deal of use out of them, and they enable you to carry out your workout regimen properly and in comfort. Improper footwear in the gym is not only a recipe for injury but can also garner some unwanted attention from your fellow gym-goers.
Establish A Routine
What is your goal for going to the gym? Do you want to get rid of some excess fat, gain lean mass or some kind of mixture? There is plenty of information on the web available to you if you make the conscientious effort to find it. Choose a person whose physique you want to emulate and see if you can find their routine online. If you don’t have a clear idea in mind yet, simply check out a beginner workout routine and stick to it. This will help to get the ball rolling in your fitness journey.
Proper Form
You may notice people in the gym that lift a ton of weight but are not in great shape. Many times this is because their egos prevent them from learning proper form with lower weights. Since time under tension is a key facet of muscle growth, it stands to reason that proper form with lighter weights is far more optimal than doing heavier weights with poor form. Not to mention, lifting heavy amounts improperly increases the chances of injury immensely.
Constantly Fine Tune
If you are being consistent and working hard for a few weeks and are noticing the results are not as good as you’d hoped, know that your regimen will likely require some tweaking. If you find you are not gaining as much muscle as you’d like, consider dietary changes and eating more calories. If you find you are gaining mass but would like to trim some of the excess fat you have accumulated in the process, consider adding more cardio or better yet, fasted cardio.
Diet
The bottom line is that food will factor in immensely to your overall body composition. It can be tough to give up your favorite foods in the name of fitness but it is a necessary evil in many cases. Educate yourself on what foods can improve or hinder your overall progress. Sometimes people choose keto detox tea for helping the weight loss processes. Jack LaLanne, a renowned fitness expert famously cautioned against eating anything that was man-made. He lived to be 96, and remained in relatively excellent health until he died, so there is likely some truth to his proclamations.
Simply carbohydrates are a point of contention now more than ever, with increasing evidence showing just how much trouble they can spell for your fitness progress. Be careful to keep consumption of refined carbs to an absolute minimum, as they crank up insulin and in turn cause your body to retain fat.
Have An Accountability Partner
Working out with a friend can help you get out the door and make sure you are doing all that you set out to do at the gym. It can prevent you from going easy on yourself or talking yourself out of doing what you know you need to. In addition, having another person there to spot you can help to push your limits more effectively without worrying about dropping a ton of weight on yourself.
Patience
Know that even the fittest people on earth had to be patient to attain their amazing physiques. In this sense, there are no shortcuts to incredible results. Prime yourself for obstacles and periods of laziness and know that they are simply part of the process. What matters most is how consistent you are in your pursuit, and know that results will come if everything is being done properly.
