Create A Goal - First things first, create a goal. If you work out with a goal in mind, e.g., I have a holiday coming up or a wedding, then I find, the human brain does tend to be more inspired. Even if you have nothing, why not create a goal to workout more because you know it’ll make you feel great? I’m not the kind of girl who tells people to work out loads just because they’re going on holiday, but if it’s going to inspire you to move more then so be it. Figure out what will get your butt moving and keep you going. Remember: It takes 12 weeks to see a real difference so these things take time, in order to stick to it you do need to be super motivated.
Monitor Your Goals - A great way to stay on track is to monitor your goals. I’m sure most of you are aware by now that my brother sadly is struggling with a serious illness, my Mum went out and bought the whole family Fitbits so we can all track our heart rate and sleep. It’s a really great way to see how active you’ve been throughout the day and also, track important things like your resting heart rate. It has definitely helped my family lead healthier, more active lives because it empowers them with data, constant inspiration and guidance to reach their goals. Tracking your heart rate all day is also integral for those of you trying to lose weight as it will enable you to get a more accurate picture of your daily calorie burn. I often don’t put my weight etc into machines in the gym and wonder how they know how many calories I’m burning! Another one of my favourite features is that the Fitbit also measures performance with its real time heart rate whilst you are training. It’s funny, a little watch on your wrist can inspire you so much but it really is motivating. As a community too, I find Fitbit users are find, authentic and so committed. It’s great for anyone, no matter how big or small the goals are. You can buy the Fitbit online here.
Have A Good Soundtrack - Good music for me is one of the main things at the gym, without it, I really just can’t work out as well as I normally would. Make a workout playlist, (I use Spotify), on your phone or iPod and then it really will push you through those last few minutes. It helps me find my rhythm, even if I’m just squatting!
Wear The Right Kit - Another important point I mention all the time, finding the right kit is so important, so many people wear trainers which aren’t meant to be worked out in (you need the support for your knees and ankles) purely to avoid injury. Some people wear old clothes to the gym, some people go in swanky brand new kit, it really doesn’t matter what you wear as long as it prevents injury and you feel comfortable in it.
Mind Over Matter - You never regret a workout, get those positive feelings running through your brain and smash that work out. I have a diary and tick it every time I work out, it’s a great way to visualise how much I’ve worked out that week. Every time I leave the gym I feel incredible, those endorphins are unbeatable, it really is just the getting there that’s the hard bit so even if you have to drag yourself, do it.
Find Like Minded People - It’s difficult but once you find like-minded people who also want to get fit too, it makes life a lot easier. Whether its your Mum, your best friend, your boyfriend or someone you follow on Instagram, there are so many people out there to support you with your goals and fitness journey.
Follow Inspirational Postive People - This takes me onto Instagram. I wrote a blog post a while ago about how dangerous clean eating can be and I just want to reiterate, make sure you’re following people who are realistic to you, or inspire you and motivate you. For example, I wouldn’t ever follow someone who posts salads all the time because I don’t eat salads all the time. I’d rather follow someone with a more balanced diet and lifestyle. I like to follow people who give me body inspiration, recipe inspiration (but good, big, hearty and healthy recipes, not a lettuce leaf) and people who have the same values as me, e.g.: I actually eat carbs and recognise they are not going to make me fat. It’s about finding people who inspire you, someone may inspire me but may not do the same to you, just make sure you’re not following people who make you feel bad about your diet or your life. Life is for living and food is not the enemy.
Don’t Fall For The Marketing Bull - Similar to the above, stick to nutritional facts. I look at sugar and saturated fat when buying my food and that’s it. I’ll often look at the ingredients to check if there’s loads of added sugar, that way, I know I’m making the right choices for my body. Don’t fall for things that say they’re ‘detoxifying’ ‘fat free’ or ‘healthy’ because often, they’re not. I have a love list of products which really are full of goodness, you can grab them and go. If in doubt: look at the sugar contents. A prime example? I picked up a ‘spelt superfood cookie’ from a shop recently as people on Instagram say spelt is great for you, I then checked the nutritional values and it had so much added sugar, not natural fruit sugar, but added sugar. I’m more than happy to eat my sugar but I want to enjoy it in my cake, not in my healthy snack. When it comes to the word ‘detoxifying’, there’s a lot of research, in my eyes, the only thing I drink that could be deemed ‘detoxifying’ is green tea and matcha tea. I swear by Bloom and teapigs matcha, they boost my metabolism. Just be smart when it comes to understanding ingredients and labels, oh, and people who post a different protein powder on Instagram every single week…
Find Out What Works For You - No two bodies are the same, so find out what works for you. You may have to do more cardio whereas someone else may find weights work for them. You may find bread bloats you. It really depends on what works for you and you may need to do some trial and errors to see. Just don’t give up. Consistency is key.
Enjoy It - Exercise is not a chore and it shouldn’t feel like one either. I go to David Lloyd gym and love it, one day I’ll swim, the next day I’ll gym, somedays I’ll play tennis, head to a spin class… there are so many options. My Mum is now a member after hearing me rate it so highly and she always said she hated gyms. Now? I can’t get her out of the Zumba classes! Living proof that you’ve gotta find what works for you, something you enjoy, don’t get bored of and it keeps you moving and motivated.
So there we have it, just a few of my top tips and hopefully, some inspiration to get fit this Summer.
Do you like working out? What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you agree?
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This post was sponsored by Fitbit through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Fitbit, all opinions are my own
Lots of love, Em x
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