How to get serious about fitness

For most women, getting in shape is an off and on project. It’s hard to keep on track with everything else life throws at us. Yo-yo dieting and exercising are sadly a way of life for too many women.

How do you stay on track and meet your goals? Everyone is different and will experience success in different ways. I’ve collected my 4 favorite tips to help readers make realistic adjustments.

1. Get real

There’s no way you’ll succeed with fitness if you let it consume you. Watch out for some signs that you’re working too hard: constantly weighing yourself, being critical of every change in your figure, dedicating all your time to dieting and slaving away at the gym. These tasks are ok to practice in moderation, but not to practice regularly. Don’t let your fitness goals outweigh your life.

Find moderation in a new routine by slowly implementing it into your life. Starting strong into any new program is going to shock your body, and decreases the odds you’ll be able to keep up over time. Your body will need days of rest (which it usually tells you) and needs to be eased in to new routines. Work new changes into your lifestyle where you know they’ll fit- going to the gym on your lunch break, preparing breakfast and lunch for tomorrow the night before.

2. Share your goals

Tell your friends and family what your plans are. You may fear talking about your goals in case you don’t meet them, but this strategy empowers you to quit without repercussions.

Brining those who care about you in on your mission holds you accountable for your goals. More so, good friends will act as a safety net, pushing you to get back on track when you falter and commending you for reaching milestones. Your goals may also be the inspiring push a relative needs to get going with their goals as well.

3. Admit imperfections quickly

No one is perfect. Even all star athletes can’t keep to their recommended diets and miss a workout from time to time. Giving in to cravings is ok now and then and missing a workout won’t ruin your goals.

Also, accept help where it’s available! If you’re new to the gym, get a friend to show you around or hire a personal trainer for the day to set you up with a program. For nutrition help, head to your doctor or a nutritionist for advice on how to balance your diet. If creativity is an issue with keeping workouts fun and altering dinner options, subscribe to a health and fitness blog (A Sizable Apple is a great one!), or health magazines for other options.

4. Chart and reward

Keep track of your progress! When you have a bad day, it will help you to see how far you’ve come (or even how much farther you have to go). Likewise, when you have a really good day and feel invincible, consult your chart to remind yourself not every day is so fabulous. The more dedication you can put into tracking your progress the more likely you are to keep up.

When rewarding, treat yourself to something you love. I’m not talking about a trip to Dairy Queen when you shed that first five pounds. Learn to love new things that promote continuing on your healthy track. Be it new running shoes, a yoga mat, or splurging on some more expensive fruits and vegetables for dinner. Keeping these treats in mind will inspire you to work a little harder on the less than motivating days.

Staying fit is a lifetime project. The ultimate key to meeting weight loss, fitness and nutrition goals is with research and repetition. Make your time at the gym count by doing exercises that will benefit your body, and relearn what you know about grocery shopping, cooking and eating. Practicing continual balance will make your goals more like habits.

What are your fitness goals? What aspects of your nutrition do you need to work on?