World Health Day 2022: Restart and get fit; don't give up
Wold Health Day 2022: Is losing weight, getting fit, making healthy lifestyle changes your continued New Year Resolution? Are you the one who makes resolutions with full enthusiasm, but fails to achieve consistency in just a few weeks or probably months? Research shows that 80% of January gym-joiners quit by May. In case you have already given up on your new year's resolution, here are some practical and safe ways to restart your new year's resolution.
Hit the gym first
Even if you have paid a subscription fee for one whole year and planned to hit the gym straight for 45 minutes to 1 hour a day, do not aggressively jump into the same old plan. Even if you go to the gym for 15 to 20 minutes a day, that is progress. Initially, set a goal to hit the gym for 21 to 30 days without any excuses, without considering the timing. Develop the practice of going to your gym, and that will help you restart your fitness journey.
Add fun
The best way to get used to strict practice is to make it fun. When it is fun, you will feel happy and ultimately enjoy doing it. If you are a pet lover, you can do some workouts with your pets around. You can change the locations such as working out at your terrace/lawn/garden instead of in confined rooms. If you love meeting your friends, request them to join you at the gym making you feel like hanging out with them instead of working out. These fun elements make your fitness journey enjoyable and then there will be no going back.
Have rest days/cheat days
When you are getting back to your fitness journey, it isn't that easy to stick to the schedule. Make sure you have proper rest days not only to enjoy but also to allow your muscles to recover from the sudden changeover. At the same time, do not overeat or stress too much on your rest days. Engage in something you love, listen to good music, go out, have mindful eating, shop your groceries for the week. Avoid being a couch potato that day.
Start with low intensity
Do not directly jump to where you left. Earlier, you might have been able to do 20 pushups in a stretch. But do not stress too much to be the same person. Encourage yourself even if you can do 5 pushups, run on the treadmill for 20 minutes straight. Go slow but steady with your workouts. If you try jumping directly to the high-intensity workouts, you get tired very soon, feel more hungry, have cramps, sore muscles, and finally lose interest again.
Stop comparing someone's 100th day with your day 1. Analyse if you have been a better person than yesterday. If yes, sleep peacefully without any regrets, and maintain the same every day. Keep going, and experience the magic.
(Mr. Vijay Thakkar, Fitness Entrepreneur & Functional Medicine Coach also the founder of 48 Fitness)
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