6 tips to keep up the exercise all through February

With dry January over many of us are whooping with joy as we get to enjoy or white wine spritzers of an evening again. However, it wasn’t so long ago that we made our new year’s resolutions, and in the backs of our minds we’re thinking that maybe we’d still like to give it a go? Even if we’ve fallen off the wagon.

When you’re trying to change your behaviour it pays to stick with it. When a smoker tries to quit, it’s much more likely that they’ll succeed if they keep trying. No matter how many times they try and end up failing. It’s worth remembering that every time you fall off the horse, getting back on next time will always be easier than before!

Here are some motivational tips to keep up the exercise right through the year!

Keep it steady

Just because you’ve been brilliant and getting some exercise in about three times a week since the beginning of January, now is not the time to enter your first marathon. Keep it steady, continue to walk fast to warm up and control your pace and your breathing as much as you can. If you want to get your heart elevated, run at a clip for 60 seconds, then jog for two minutes and alternate until you’ve finished your run. This will get your heart pumping and bust your lungs into action.

No one ever regrets a workout

This is so true. No matter how much we complain and dread getting our Lycra on, we always end up on a high after exercise. Instead of forcing yourself to go out in the dark rain after a day’s work, make an alternate indoor plan for those dark days. Be it going to the gym, attending a class or doing a few easy floor exercises (every leg left counts) to get that heart rate up. If you need some inspiration check out YouTube for thousands (literally thousands) of fitness vloggers.

Pull a Nike and ‘Just Do It’

Fact: the time you spend making excuses to not exercise, could be equal to the time you spend working out. We’re all guilty of this once in awhile, and deep down we all know that we’d have had it done if we’d just gone and done it already! To avoid this, make sure you’ve your kit ready to go, at all times so invest in some spare sports bras, shorts and tops so you’re not wearing sweaty kit (eugh).

Goals

We get this as soon as we join a new gym: our personal trainer giving us the guided tour asks what our goal is for joining the gym? And most of the time the classic ‘Err…getting fit?’ doesn’t quite cut it. Have an ultimate goal in mind like running 5k without stopping, mastering three yoga moves or being able to do ten burpees in a row. Keep it well away from weight loss though, exercising increases muscle, which weighs more than fat, so it can be a tricky one to navigate for the inexperienced.

If you’ve no time HIIT it

And I don’t mean in the face either (unless it’s Boxfit, in which case, be my guest). Most gyms will run classes on site, and about 90 per cent will have HIIT class. High Intensity Interval Training is one of the best ways to get super fit in super short amounts of time. With some sessions lasting as little as four minutes a day, you’d be mad to say you don’t have time to take it on. Who doesn’t have four spare minutes a day?

Prioritise

Your health is your wealth and ne’er a truer statement was said. Make your fitness your priority and reap the benefits. It aids your metabolism, general well being, mental health and longevity. If you end up with not enough time at the end of the day, reflect and ask yourself what you could move around tomorrow to make time for exercise? And if you don’t have enough money to do that class or join that gym, ask yourself where your expendable income is going? Maybe there’s somewhere you can skim some off the top to invest in your health and fitness.

Want to stay fit with your kids? Here are some ideas how.
maternity&infant

Originally posted 2017-02-09 18:04:29.