It’s one thing to make or plan an exercise routine, but it’s another thing to stay motivated and follow through with it. With the new year not far behind us, you might be finding that your planned fitness routine has gotten off track. I know I didn’t even make any new goals for my fitness for the year, I just wanted to at least stick with my current plan.
I find it’s so easy to talk myself out of my fitness for the day, so I’m always looking for ways to either encourage myself or force me to follow through. One sure fire way to hold yourself accountable is to find a friend or family member to keep you on track. Another way is to find some great accessories that will help you track your progress, because it’s always nice to see you accomplish your goals. And speaking of goals, you should make sure the ones you make fit your lifestyle so that they will be more easily attainable.
Buddy up
I know when I make an arrangement with a friend to exercise I always keep my commitment, because if I don’t I’m stopping them from acheiving their fitness goals too. It’s also much more fun to workout with a friend, and in many cases it’s safer too. If you’re doing any outdoor fitness it’s always best to have someone with you in case of emergencies. At the gym you may need someone to spot you so you don’t injure yourself.
When you have a partner to workout with you can push each other to meet your personal fitness goals. Another great option is to join a group of some sort. If you love running, I know some designated running stores have running groups for all fitness levels. You can get in some great exercise and make some new friends. There’s also a lot of online groups where you motivate each other, have weekly weigh ins and when you reach your goals you can treat yourselves to something nice like a dinner out. Having a great support system can make all the difference in you reaching your goals.
Fitness accessories
Another successful way to motivate yourself and hold yourself accountable for your fitness goals is to use some great fitness accessories or gadgets.
There are some really cool smart scales available like this Withings Wi-Fi Smart Scale & Body Analyzer that will show you your weight and so much more.
With this scale you can also track your body fat, BMI and your heart rate. You can also add in your body type which will help you to set accurate goals for yourself. You can then send your stats to your iOS or android device and be able to keep track of your progress there.
Having your health stats on hand at all times will help you stay concious of your eating habits and your daily fitness when you’re going about your day. Another great feature of this scale is the ability to support up to eight users. You can keep the whole families fitness on track.
Fitness trackers are also another great way to keep you motivated and on track. I notice when I’m out I’m seeing Fitbits everywhere. They can track your entire day. Starting with all of your activity from steps taken, stairs climbed, calories burned and more. If you’re going to be hitting up the gym or doing some form of exercise, you want to make sure you switch it over to exercise mode so you’re getting the most accurate stats for what you are doing. I also love that you can monitor your sleep patterns.
I love to sleep, and I think most of us don’t get enough of it each day. A minimum of hours is really important and if you can make the extra effort to get to bed on time to get a full eight hours a night, I guarantee you will see a difference in your exercise routine. With the Fitbit, you get sleep monitoring too. It lets you look at your sleep patterns and see where you can make any changes.
As a woman I’d also like a fitness tracker that is more versatile and stylish. I love the look of this Misfit Shine Fitness Tracker with Bloom Necklace, not just for the necklace option because you can also wear it on your clothes with a magnet attachment and a watch attachment. You can track your daily activity as well as your sleep.
Make smaller, more frequent goals
It’s always a good idea to think about your health and your fitness and decide what you want to achieve personally. It’s great to have an ultimate goal for yourself, and the feeling you have when you start seeing changes in your health will also encourage you to keep going.
I find it’s much less overwhelming to make smaller goals for yourself that are more easily attainable. It can be so defeating to make a goal, and then it seems to take forever to get there. Making smaller and more realistic goals that fit your personal health and take less time to achieve will eventually lead you to accomplish your ultimate goal.
At the end of the day I think it’s important to find a system or program that works best for you and your lifestyle. Take baby steps so the whole process doesn’t feel so overwhelming even before you get started. Don’t forget to give yourself a break every once in awhile too. Have a cheat meal so you aren’t completely depriving yourself and I also love the idea of planning something fun to treat yourself to after you reach a goal. Buy yourself something nice or have a spa day.
Take a look at the other fitness tips with Lindsey, and check out all of the wearable technology to help you stay fit on Bestbuy.ca.
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Title image @ footcareexpresscom.
