Spring has sprung, and we all want to burn off those extra winter pounds. We make a mad dash to the gym and start eating as if we are rabbits, so our swimsuit bodies look good for Memorial Day weekend. What if we learned how to not repeat this kind of fitness cycle next year? Maybe we can stay fit all year long while enjoying life, the holidays, and that slice of Mother’s Day cake. Following these simple tips can help make the winter to summer transition as relaxing as lying on the beach.
LIFESTYLE CHANGE
The first tip to getting fit and staying fit is to remember you are not on a diet, you are changing your life. When you begin to focus on changing your lifestyle, you understand this is not a temporary event that will help you lose just a couple of pounds. Instead, you are changing your life to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.
Here is what a lifestyle change is not: a lifestyle change is not denying yourself anything fun, like popcorn at the movies or that glass of wine with dinner once a week. A lifestyle change is not getting on the scale every day or twice a day. A lifestyle change is not living at the gym for five hours a day. These are unattainable goals that do not breed continuity.
Instead, a lifestyle change is incorporating healthy food into your diet as a regular staple. A lifestyle change is setting an achievable goal for exercise and reaching that goal. A lifestyle change is choosing to walk the extra length of the entire parking lot instead of parking within three spots of the front door. A lifestyle change by definition is a change to how you live your life on a regular basis, and therefore, must be something you can do regularly.
EXERCISE AND DIET
Many times people make one of two mistakes when trying to get and stay healthy. They either choose to diet excessively or exercise excessively, but they do not think to diet and exercise appropriately and in moderation. The key to getting and staying healthy is to change both your diet and exercise routine. If you are lacking a good diet, but exercise regularly, you are not healthy. If you are eating a healthy diet and never exercising, you are not healthy. Your body needs both exercise and a healthy diet to thrive. Both exercise and diet benefit the muscles of your body and your brain activity to help you live a healthy lifestyle. The trick is moderation. You cannot maintain anything for long periods of time if it is an extreme. Your body simply will not allow it. That is not to say that you cannot have an extreme day here or there, however, to attempt to go to extremes consistently is just as unhealthy as doing nothing.
If you are looking to change your lifestyle over the next few months and get summer ready for the rest of your life, contact the trainers at Apex Personal Training at 612-405-3002.
