I’ve watched too many people start their exercise program and go gung ho the first day, even before they mastered the proper form. I often didn’t see those same people exercising the next day or for weeks afterwards. Much of the time, they either injured themselves or had such muscle pain it took weeks to recover. The solution is always to use moderation. It’s the key to success in any new endeavor.
Permanent change comes from creating new habits.
Those first few weeks into a new exercise program can be grueling. While the first day, your muscles may feel like you could go forever, but then the recovery period hits, and they hurt so bad you can barely walk. When you take the time to learn the proper form and start a program that fits your level of fitness, you won’t have to take a week or two off because of an injury. Learning the proper form is important and so is conditioning your body for a rigorous workout. It’s more important to have consistency than one muscle busting workout.
Changing your eating habits should be a priority, too.
No matter how great your workout or how hard you work, you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. In order to get the results you want, you have to eat healthier. Healthier eating isn’t dieting, but choosing your food wisely. Instead of having a candy bar in the afternoon or a donut mid morning, opt for a piece of fruit or a small bag of nuts. Using Greek yogurt on your baked potato, instead of sour cream, can also increase your nutritional level and reduce your caloric intake.
Don’t try to starve yourself.
You can’t do that for very long and end up gaining the weight back you lost when you finally eat normally. It’s unhealthy and often the cause of yo-yo weight loss and even more weight gain. Whether it’s exercise or healthy eating, moderation is always best. It helps you stick with a program and make it a habit, which means you’ll never have to worry about gaining weight again.
- Permanent change only occurs when you have a program of healthy eating and exercise that you can stick with over a long period of time.
- When you use moderation in diet, it means you can still have some of your favorite foods, just not as often and keeping portion control in mind. It’s not a disaster if you have a piece of birthday cake, so you live a more normal lifestyle without guilt.
- Make it a habit of drinking a glass of water before you eat, then filling your plate with a big salad and eat it first. Both help you eat less and can, over time, result in significant weight loss.
- Moderation is also important for safety. If you’re working far beyond your point of exhaustion, it can cause injury, particularly if you’re working out with kettlebells.
For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness NJ