If you are thinking about getting fit, well done. Whether you are trying to pick up that new year's resolution that you didn't quite manage at the very beginning of the year or simply trying to improve your fitness levels and health, you are doing something great.
However, before you dive straight into daily workouts and strict meal planning, you must take the time to lay out your expectations and be realistic about what you can achieve. Unfortunately, many go into their fitness journey with unrealistic aims and goals, not realizing that it will be difficult while worth it.
Here, we look at three things that you need to know about getting fit - and what no one ever tells you.
It Will Be Hard
Some people believe that after they reach a certain level of fitness, the early effort and suffering of training will be replaced by utopia, but this is not the case. Exercising will always elevate your heart rate, make you feel out of breath, cause muscles to burn, and cause you to sweat profusely, assuming you are doing it correctly. Eventually, as your fitness improves and you reap the benefits of the dopamine and endorphins released when you exercise, it may become less difficult, but it will never be effortless.
You Have To Get The Basics Right
If you want to see results, whether in terms of fitness, weight loss, or strength, you must begin from the most favorable position available.
Most people are not getting enough sleep, with over half of us admitting that we do not get the recommended amount. If this seems familiar, you will need to address it as part of your fitness journey because being fatigued will lead you to overindulge in sugar and neglect those all-important exercise sessions. An adult should sleep seven to nine hours per night to serve as a baseline.
Exercise alone will not get you very far if a healthy, balanced diet does not accompany it. But, just in case, it is vital to remember that consuming the right foods will aid in the recovery of your body after workouts, provide you with the energy you require to train, and lower the likelihood of accidents.
You also need to ensure that you have all of the equipment you need from the right clothes and footwear and any specialist items. For example, if you are thinking of taking up cycling, which is a superb exercise, you will need a helmet, lights, and the best bicycle insurance to protect your bike.
Finally, there is the all-important hydration. When you begin to exercise regularly, you must remember to stay hydrated and replace any fluids lost through sweating. It will not only keep you feeling good, but it will also help to relieve the pressure on your heart and improve your circulatory health.
It Won't Happen Overnight
You have good intentions, but they will remain just that unless you commit to being consistent with them. The unfortunate aspect of exercise is that you will lose your fitness very quickly if you quit or slow down.
Consistency is one of the most challenging aspects of any fitness journey. Still, there are a variety of strategies you can use to increase the likelihood of staying with your new routines. Small and simply defined goals are easier to achieve, and when you succeed in achieving them, they will drive you to continue on your path. It might also be helpful to have a goal to strive for.
