When you decide it's time to get in shape, it's tempting to want to dive head-first into fitness. You might vow to run a few miles every day or eat nothing but salads or hit the gym during every waking hour.
Take a breath, and slow down. That kind of excitement is admirable, but it usually leads to burn out. A few salads in, most people think, "Eh, I could really go for a Big Mac." Or their bodies get so exhausted that "running every day" turns into "running when I feel like it," which turns into "never running."
Integrate fitness and good nutrition into your life slowly. Set goals and make changes that you can comfortably add to your daily routine. You can worry about pushing yourself to your limits and making the really hard changes later. First, concentrate on laying a healthy foundation that you can build on.
Here are a few suggestions on how you can start making fitness and nutrition a part of your daily life:
Cardio: Depending on how much of a beginner you are, you can start with walks or light jogs. Just establishing a routine of walking a mile or two every day can help you stretch unused muscles and lose weight.
When you feel comfortable with your routine, consider jogging instead of walking. Getting your heart rate up and sweating some will not only help burn more calories, it will help you sleep better at night and wake up with more energy. Don't be afraid to alternate running and walking if you can't do a whole mile at a jogging pace.
Weight Lifting: Pacing yourself with weight training is very important for preventing injury. Don't dive in to lifting heavy weights 5 days a week without any fitness background. Start off using light weights 2 or 3 times a week. Use resistance machines if your gym has them. These machines are excellent for teaching good form and helping prevent injury.
Also, rather than switching between machines randomly, try picking a few muscle groups to target each time you go into the gym. Most resistance machines will have charts explaining which muscles they target, so spend one day working your biceps and back and another working your shoulders and triceps.
Nutrition: Cutting the crap from your diet can be a daunting task. Most of us don't eat right at the majority of our meals, and we eat even worse between meals. Don't kill yourself trying to carve every last bit of trans fat out of your meals, and don't throw out all of the food you love on a whim. Start small, and make easy replacements for unhealthy foods.
Soda is a major contributor of empty calories and too much sugar - not to mention that it doesn't hydrate you very well. Start ordering water instead of a soda when you sit down to eat, and start phasing it out of the beverages you keep around the house. Not only will you be drinking fewer calories, you'll probably also find that your skin and hair feel better the more water you drink. Your teeth will thank you, too.
Replacing your snacks with healthier foods is usually a pretty easy switch, too. The trouble with snacks is that we reach for them unconsciously. Even when we make healthy choices at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, somehow the things we eat in between "don't count" in our heads. Unfortunately, chips, chocolate, and candy are convenient when mid-afternoon hunger strikes. Keep granola bars, raisins, or carrot sticks around to fight bad snacking habits.
Establishing consistency and dedication is the most important part of beginning a fitness routine. Eating a perfect diet and exercising like an Olympic athlete means nothing if you only do it for a month. Make small improvements that will last a lifetime, and you're on the path to a fitter, healthier you.
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