Last Updated on April 13, 2021 by Andrew Blakey
With all the information from both sources that are reliable as well as those that are not, It can be tough to know where to start with your fitness journey. Do you start with cardio, or weights? Do you workout 1 time per week or 3? Do I need to start eating more or less carbs? There’s so many questions but where do you start?
It’s tough when all you want is to get in shape but you’re not sure exactly where to begin This would be a great time to get advice from a professional fitness/personal trainer to help you out, but if for some reason this isn’t possible in your current situation, today we will be going over 5 great things you can do in order to help you get to where you want to be. Whether its weight loss, toning up, or becoming healthier overall, I hope these tips help you can an idea of things that can help you in your journey.
Let’s get into it:
Learn a little bit about nutrition!
If you don’t know the basics such as what protein does, vs fat, vs carbs… Start there. Learning the basics of why you eat what you do and how they relate to your fitness goals can allow you to make conscious decisions about the foods you put in your body rather than eating ‘quinoa’ simply because you heard your friend sally at the office say its “The BIG thing” right now. DO NOT underestimate how some basic nutrition knowledge can go a long way when it comes to your health and fitness. Here’s a link to a previous blog post written about how calories consumed vs our weight are related!
Try To Be Active Every Day!
If your only source of activity right now is the walk from your desk to the coffee machine at work, consider adding some additional activities into your daily life. To put this into perspective, experts suggest 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week. That’s just 20 minutes a day. If you can’t find 20 minutes a day to workout/go for a brisk walk or jog, then the first thing you need to do is get your priorities straight. Your body is your permanent vehicle for your ENTIRE life… do you really want it to start breaking down and failing you by the time you turn 50?… for those who feel like their body is already breaking down.. it’s not too late to start working out and begin turning this cycle around. You need to start somewhere, start today.
Try to eat more fruits and Vegetables!
Something that I have begun to do in my own personal life is trying to eat one salad a day. This may seem annoying or not possible for some but trust me, even this small change will make a huge difference. The reason is that you’re replacing a meal that would probably have been either high in calories with something that may be slightly lower, much higher in nutrients, and super tasty… eating salads makes you feel immediately better, you can give yourself a high five for knowing that while you’re eating that salad, your body is thanking you for giving it the nutrients it needs!
Click this link for a yummy spinach with feta and strawberry salad that I eat almost every single day!
Drink More Water!
You’ve been hearing “drink more water” ever since you were a kid, but did you ever understand why? Water is super important because it helps with everything from digestion of food, to proper brain function, to flushing out toxins (which can help decrease full body inflammation). When we don’t drink enough water, we deplete our body of the liquid it needs to help it be healthy. Water is so so important for our body and by drinking more of it, it allows us to perform all the functions of daily life properly. Consider drinking water before a meal if you struggle with eating too large of portions. Also consider switching your fruity juices or alcoholic drinks to something more water based such as straight water, or if you have a big night planned something like a vodka soda with lime.
Spend more time outdoors!
Spending more time outdoors whether its just being outside for a couple minutes at a time helps to increase our vitamin D levels which can help with bone health! It can also be very beneficial for your mind in terms of reducing stress, and helping with mental health. That’s why on a gloomy dark rainy day you tend to be a bit more moody compared to a beautiful bright day. Spending more time outside also encourages us to be more active. For example, if you’re sitting outside enjoying a coffee on your back deck, you may be more likely to notice how beautiful it is and possibly go for a nice walk.
All these things are little tips and tricks that you can use in order to help lose weight, become healthier, and improve your quality of life. I myself tend to try and do all 5 of these on a daily basis in order to maximize my productivity and improve my overall health wellbeing.
Let me know how these tips all work for you or if you have any other tricks you like to use!
Written by Owner of Your Future Fitness Training | Personal Trainer | Andrew Blakey
