Fitness & Food: Wanting To Get Started With Your Health Journey vs. Actually Getting Started With Your Health Journey
If there is one thing I know for sure about starting to workout and eating healthier, it is that if you aren't working towards something more than weight loss, it won't last.
There is an insane amount of people who say they want to lose weight and that they are going to stick to it, and then they never do. Why? Because all they are thinking about is the weight loss. They are not thinking about working towards something more, something deeper. It does not have to be mind blowing; it can be as simple as, "I want to be able to keep up with my kids," or "I want to feel good about the way I look in my wedding dress." It just has to be something you actually want and would motivate you to push through the difficult times. There will be difficult times.
When I first started out, I wanted to feel good about the way I looked at a wedding I was attending. It also helped that I had accountability.
Another tip: I started a money jar and put a dollar in it for everyday that I worked out so I could reward myself later with what I earned (not with food).
That is probably key, especially when you are first starting out: motivation & accountability. Today, following a program helps keep me going. I am following a running program, as well as some HIIT workouts, but the running program is currently the main thing. I want to be "race ready." I don't have a race picked out yet, but I've got my eyes on a couple. For you, it may be following a program, or it could be going to a gym where you have others who count on you to show up. The possibilities are endless, you just have to figure out what your motivation will be to keep you going.
To switch things up, I will shoot some hoops. If you like a sport, that might be a great way to start. I burned 150 calories in 20 minutes shooting around/running around on the court, and it was fun!
Do not overthink it, either. Just get started. Try different things and figure it out on the way. No one started out an expert; they had to fail over and over and over to get there. Do not be afraid to fail. In fact, fail a lot and then stand back up and go harder.
As far as getting on track with food. This is another area you need to figure out what is best for you. Are you someone that needs to slowly incorporate healthy foods or go all in or nothing? For me, it varies depending on my season in life. When I first started I downloaded myfitnesspal and tracked calories that way. Sometimes the "container system" is where I need to go (there are containers that help you with portion sizes and a roadmap of what category of foods to eat when). Honestly, there is no right answer. However, food plays a huge part in your health journey, and even if you are not 100% perfect with it, improving your nutrition can go a long way.
You've got this. I know if you are reading this, you want to stop thinking about getting started and you want to actually get started. To start, after you finish reading, go move your body. Walk. Do some jumping jacks. Hold a plank. Just do something, and be proud of yourself when you finish!
Thank you so much for reading my blog. I know you have a choice of what to read, and I am so grateful you stopped by here. Feel free to comment or email me about anything you'd like me to address.
Happy New Year!
There is an insane amount of people who say they want to lose weight and that they are going to stick to it, and then they never do. Why? Because all they are thinking about is the weight loss. They are not thinking about working towards something more, something deeper. It does not have to be mind blowing; it can be as simple as, "I want to be able to keep up with my kids," or "I want to feel good about the way I look in my wedding dress." It just has to be something you actually want and would motivate you to push through the difficult times. There will be difficult times.
When I first started out, I wanted to feel good about the way I looked at a wedding I was attending. It also helped that I had accountability.
Another tip: I started a money jar and put a dollar in it for everyday that I worked out so I could reward myself later with what I earned (not with food).
That is probably key, especially when you are first starting out: motivation & accountability. Today, following a program helps keep me going. I am following a running program, as well as some HIIT workouts, but the running program is currently the main thing. I want to be "race ready." I don't have a race picked out yet, but I've got my eyes on a couple. For you, it may be following a program, or it could be going to a gym where you have others who count on you to show up. The possibilities are endless, you just have to figure out what your motivation will be to keep you going.
To switch things up, I will shoot some hoops. If you like a sport, that might be a great way to start. I burned 150 calories in 20 minutes shooting around/running around on the court, and it was fun!
Do not overthink it, either. Just get started. Try different things and figure it out on the way. No one started out an expert; they had to fail over and over and over to get there. Do not be afraid to fail. In fact, fail a lot and then stand back up and go harder.
As far as getting on track with food. This is another area you need to figure out what is best for you. Are you someone that needs to slowly incorporate healthy foods or go all in or nothing? For me, it varies depending on my season in life. When I first started I downloaded myfitnesspal and tracked calories that way. Sometimes the "container system" is where I need to go (there are containers that help you with portion sizes and a roadmap of what category of foods to eat when). Honestly, there is no right answer. However, food plays a huge part in your health journey, and even if you are not 100% perfect with it, improving your nutrition can go a long way.
You've got this. I know if you are reading this, you want to stop thinking about getting started and you want to actually get started. To start, after you finish reading, go move your body. Walk. Do some jumping jacks. Hold a plank. Just do something, and be proud of yourself when you finish!
Thank you so much for reading my blog. I know you have a choice of what to read, and I am so grateful you stopped by here. Feel free to comment or email me about anything you'd like me to address.
Happy New Year!
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