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The hardest part is the beginning. Regardless of whether we are talking about a new job, moving to a new place, forced corona quarantine or fighting for better shape, surviving a few or a dozen days is always the hardest. According to a popular and often quoted theory, forming a habit takes only three weeks. There are a lot of doubts around this concept today, but one thing is certain: we will not develop any habit, even the healthiest one, if we do not overcome internal resistance, and this decreases inversely proportional to the results of diet and training. In other words, the longer you fight for a better version of yourself, the less you feel reluctant to make the effort. There is no way out: get to work, because nothing will happen by itself!
Basic support
You probably have a buddy among your friends who announced the coming revolution in his life by buying a yearly gym membership, and then went there literally once. Or a friend who signed up for a sports loyalty program, which she reminds herself about once a year, in January, when everyone is overwhelmed with New Year's resolutions. Fact: short-lived enthusiasm is a common and widespread phenomenon. However, there are ways to make it as difficult as possible to give up:
1) Make sure you have comfortable and aesthetically pleasing exercise clothes and the right footwear. This is no joke: have you noticed that as soon as you jump into a good pair of sports shoes, your step becomes more springy, you feel more like running for the bus or jogging a bit with your dog? Footwear that matches the type of exercise you are interested in is an absolute must, and an outfit that improves your mood and does not restrict movement means that you are immediately on the right track.
2) Look at the calories, the structure of your meals and the times you sit down to eat. If you want to lose a few kilos – we won't go into details about what values we're talking about – you need a proper diet that will ensure that you reduce your calorie intake. To start burning your reserves, you have to sacrifice a little pleasure. Remember, however, that individual genetic predispositions, lifestyle, starting weight, health, age and other factors determine the diet that is right for your body. If you want to get rid of more than a few kilos, you should consult a specialist and together with them choose the ideal diet for you. However, if you care about a small surplus, you can safely reduce the number of calories you consume daily, change the times of meals (to extend the break between the last and the first of the day) and take a closer look at what you have on your plate. We will not remind you of the healthy eating pyramid here, we will only mention the basics: protein, vegetables and unsaturated fats are your allies.
3) Get a workout buddy or just motivation. If you can afford a professional trainer, that's perfect. No one will motivate you to move and sweat like a coach, and preferably one you pay a lot 😊 However, if you have to look for motivation elsewhere, your friend/partner/work colleague will be your best trainer. Together it's more fun, easier and more enjoyable.
4) Look for an activity tracker or smartwatch. This is a relatively small expense that will help you get your act together, record your results, and track your progress. Tracking your progress is the best way to persevere. After a month of activity and a changed diet, you MUST see the first results, even if not in the form of your dream weight, then in the quality of your workouts, endurance, strength, attitude, and body circumference. Remember: in the long run, it's the circumference that counts (regardless of whether you're reducing fat or building a significant muscle mass), because body weight is deceptive. Muscle weighs more than fat, and daily fluctuations, caused by many factors, can reach up to 2-3 kg.
5) Consider supplements that will help you control your body weight, plan your daily menu and provide the necessary motivation to maintain the challenge. The list is long: products that speed up metabolism, release additional energy reserves, provide extra protein, hydrate a tired body or regenerate muscles. Don't like to think about every meal during the day? A protein shake with the addition of your favorite fruit is your ally.
6) At the very end: yes, now you can think about a gym or club membership. Armed with clothes, healthy meals and supplements, the right motivation and external support, you have a better chance of surviving the difficult beginnings and turning a sports membership into one of the best investments in life. Of course, we recommend this option in times AFTER CORONAVIRUS, or at least when a visit to the club is already possible and safe.
Online support
Wherever you are, whatever your plans, however you like to move, online workouts and programs are available 24 hours a day, very often completely free. If you like to find excuses and always have a good reason to stop your own challenge - none of your friends want to work out with you, you don't have time during the day to go to the club or money for a season ticket - the Internet will provide you with so much training content that the excuses will become ridiculous.
The number of YouTube channels dedicated solely to health and training is mind-boggling. In almost every discipline, in any language and level of advancement, you will find dozens, hundreds of hours of video content. If you add fan pages on Facebook and Instagram to this, the inspiration is endless. We wouldn't be millennials if we didn't mention apps that - paid or free - offer brilliant workouts and entire programs for improving your figure. You've certainly heard of Aaptiv with thousands of guided sessions, the Adidas Running App , which makes it easier for runners to start, Nike Training Club with about 200 free sets of exercises, or MyFitnessPal by Under Armour, thanks to which you will finally take control of your diet. Just the first ones that come to mind - there are plenty of apps.
Look for something new, try to get inspired by a workout you've never tried before. If you don't know something, well, you don't even know that it's within your reach, and it could soon turn into a real passion.
Self-denial
We started the article by saying that it's not easy to get started. Perseverance is built by sweat and don't fool yourself - others are the same. A few tips will definitely help you maintain the right attitude:
>Don't overdo it - a too strong start can result in injury or quick discouragement
>Be realistic – if you set yourself a goal that is too ambitious and you have no chance of even touching it, your motivation will drop to zero
>Adjust your activity to your health – watch your joints, slowly and gradually increase the load and number of repetitions when doing strength training, and gradually increase the length, pace and distance of your cardio workout. Also remember that some types of exercise are not for everyone (e.g. running puts a lot of strain on your knee joints, so if you have a problem with them, try cycling).
>Monitor your progress – we’ll repeat this ad nauseam. Everyone needs a “before/after” visualization. If you’re going for a serious makeover, take a picture of yourself, regularly record your progress in training and fitness, and record changes in your body with subsequent photos.
>Pump yourself up with music – a good tune works wonders.
