One of the best ways to make your fitness goals a reality is to create habits that support success. It’s important to keep in mind that habits take a few weeks to become a natural part of your life. The first two or three weeks will require dedication and patience. There may be mistakes along the way. Don’t give up, though. Fitness and lifelong health are too important. The good news is that small changes often reap big rewards. Let’s take a look at some fitness habits that you can start making today.
1. Fuel Your Body Well
The food that you eat before and after a workout, and all day long, has a direct impact on your fitness. For example, if you have a donut and juice for breakfast, you’re going to crash in the middle of your workout. It’s important to eat a diet that is rich in protein, vegetables, and some fruit and whole grains. Time your nutrition before and after your workout for the best results.
2. Sleep More
Sleep is when your body recharges. If you exercise, then sleep is even more important because your body needs a little extra time to repair. Make sleep a priority and you’ll experience better workouts and faster results.
3. Mobility Matters
Warm up your muscles before a workout. You don’t need to stretch them but you do want to get blood circulating before you start your workout. After your workout, focus on stretching and rolling the muscles you just worked. Foam rollers are an exceptional tool for massaging the muscles.
4. Track Your Efforts and Results
Start keeping a fitness journal. You can use one of the many amazing mobile apps or online services. You can also create a spreadsheet or document on your computer or just grab a composition book and a pen. Track what you did, what your goals are, and how you felt during your workout.
This information will not only help you stay motivated, it can also provide critical information when you hit snags or plateaus in your fitness. There are also wonderful fitness trackers that you wear on your wrist or clip to your body. They can tell you if you’re doing enough to meet your fitness goals.
5. Move Your Body Every Day
Find something that you enjoy that requires you to move your body every day. Go for a walk, put on some music and dance, get out a jump rope or take a yoga class. Even on days when you’re not hitting the gym or getting an official workout in, make sure that you move your body.
Start taking better care of your health and fitness. Starting today, identify one small habit that you can embrace to improve your fitness. Create a plan that supports you to succeed and follow through. Add one new fitness goal to your life each month, and by the end of the year you’ll have completely overhauled your lifestyle. And you’ll be living a healthier life.
