Losing weight and becoming an overall healthier person does not happen after running or biking for one morning. It happens when you make working out a habit that you incorporate into your day-to-day schedule.
However, engaging in regular physical activity is easier said than done. Most people have jobs that eat up the majority of their day. When they leave the office, they also have to interact with family and friends. Sleep, too, is important for the well-being of the mind and the body. Finding the time to exercise is not always simple.
Then, there is the problem of making it a routine. Working out is unpleasant, especially for those who have a sedentary lifestyle. It is tiring, and it can lead to aches and pains during and after. Sitting in front of the television all day is easier and more fun.
The trick to exercising regularly is by turning it into a habit. When it becomes a habit, waking up to attend your yoga class or to do a high-intensity interval training routine would come naturally. In fact, if you happen to skip a workout, your body would crave it.
But, before that happens, you have to force yourself to the gym to make your choice of physical activity. Luckily, there are tricks that you can pull on your brain that will make working out regularly less of a chore. Here are a few that you should train.
Dress Up for the Part
Part of the fun of deciding to become healthier is shopping for activewear. You cannot just don your regular clothes when you work out. You need special gear for your own safety. Switching your gold or platinum accessory for men’s silicone bracelets ensures that the item would neither get in your way nor end up hurting you. Ladies need a well-fitting sports bra for support that a regular pair of underwear cannot provide. Shirts that use breathable fabric allows sweat to evaporate and cool the skin.
Moreover, it helps motivate you to get up off the couch, wear your new gym clothes, and workout.
Numerous studies prove that wearing a certain type of clothing can change a person’s mindset. In one research, participants performed better in attention-related tests while wearing a lab coat versus when they had street clothes on. One of the authors assured that gym clothes would have the same effect.
So do not feel guilty about shopping for new gear. It might help you make healthier lifestyle decisions.
Reward Yourself for Job Well Done
You are well aware that exercising can keep you healthy, boost your mood, make you sleep better, etc. However, these things happen only after you have turned exercise into a habit.
Your brain still recognizesworkouts as a chore rather than something that you enjoy. To trick your brain into thinking that physical activity is a joyful experience, you need to reward yourself by doing something that you enjoy during or after. For example, if you like podcasts, you can listen to it while you run on the treadmill. It will distract you from the paid and exhaustion and keep you entertained for a longer period. Before you know it, you have spent an hour running.
You can also reward yourself by going to your favorite bakeshop after going to the gym, but do not overdo it. Exercising can make you feel hungrier than you actually are and crave sugary confections to regain the energy you lost. If your goal is to lose weight, this could give you the opposite results that you want. Decide beforehand what you can eat and restrain yourself from ordering more and making decisions based on impulse.
Set Attainable Goals
Before you start a fitness journey, you must know what you want and how to get it. However, determining your goal does not always work. You have to identify a specific goal that is both measurable and attainable.
Simply saying that you want to be skinny or muscular is not going to work. If you want to lose weight, you should give yourself a specific number, such as shedding five pounds in two weeks. Having these small but achievable milestones allows you to track and celebrate your progress, which means you are more motivated to work harder.
Deciding to become healthy is only the first step to a larger journey. It will not be easy, especially in the first several weeks, but the reward will be worth it as long as you stick with it for as long as you can.
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