How to Go from Zero to 60 in 5 Steps

After a long day at work, we all tend to be a bit lazy and slide into our beds to treat ourselves to movie marathons. Also, if you add the fact that we like to eat a bunch of unhealthy snacks, it’s no wonder that when summer comes and it’s time for us to put on our bathing suit, we all wish we’ve worked out more and eaten better. Thankfully, here are 5 efficient ways for you to become fitter and healthier, since the start of the New Year is the best time for you to make some changes.

1. Small steps

Simply walking is great for people who are new to exercising. Plan daily walks during which you would gradually cover bigger distances. However, for starters, test yourself and see how it feels to be active for longer periods of time every day. Walking can drastically improve your stamina which will motivate you to start doing more demanding exercises. We advise you to explore some of the ways you can use walking as a form of exercise.

2. Switch from walking to running

When you become more adapted to regular activities, you can even start pushing yourself a bit. But before you start running, it’s important to create some effective warm up routines. For example, it has been proven that strength training and yoga work perfectly as pre-running activities. After this, you can start setting up a route which shouldn’t be too long during the initial period. As time goes by, you will feel more comfortable with running longer distances. Running on treadmills is also a great way to build up endurance, so make sure you visit a gym, especially during winter months. In order to make the most out of the entire experience, you’ll be needing quality gym clothes that provides you with comfort while exercising. Also, remember that, for example, inadequate sneakers might bring you more harm and good.

3. Find an activity that you really enjoy

One of the most important steps is to find an activity which is both healthy and enjoyable. For example, swimming will do wonders for your health and it will easily replace your need to stay in bed and watch movies all day. There is nothing more refreshing then going for a swim early in the morning, especially since it’s praised as one the best activities with cardiovascular benefits. Although swimming activates all muscles, it will not strain your body. On the contrary, it helps you supply it with more oxygen. However, if you’re not into swimming, feel free to explore other activities until you find the one which suits you.   

4. Find a workout partner

If you know someone who is also starting their own fitness journey, you can ask them to exercise together. This way you can both follow each other’s progress and accommodate your exercising styles to fit one another. It also helps when you have someone to talk to and share your emotions while working out. Partners will motivate you when you don’t feel like training. However, if you enjoy exercising with others, you don’t have to limit yourself to only one partner, since having a whole group can be quite exciting.  

5. Give yourself a pat on the back

Make sure you acknowledge your progress from time to time. You can always treat yourself with a tasty snack as a reward, but make sure the reward doesn’t incorporate big feasts. Instead, try to turn it into reminders that you have achieved a new stage in your life and that you are ready to go even further towards a more active and healthier life. For example, you can make a check list of the progress you’ve made so far and place it somewhere visible. Another great way to acknowledge your success and motivate yourself is by snapping a couple of before-and-after photos of yourself.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to build up the courage to start working out more, since motivation can be easily nurtured. In the end, the result of your hard work will be pure satisfaction which will give you strength not to give up.