People have different reasons to switch to a healthy diet and start exercising. Some want to improve their quality of life while others just want to look stunning for the upcoming holidays on the beach. The great thing is that there is no wrong motivation and no goals that can’t be reached. Do it the right way with these essential tips on how to achieve your health and fitness goals.
Know Your Goals
As simple as it may sound, you can’t reach your goals without knowing them. Due to various reasons, many people fail to set exact, easily measurable goals from the very outset of their endeavour. Needless to say, their chances to succeed are really faint. To get off to a flying start, you have to set both short-term and long-term goals and create a strategy on how to achieve them. It is a great idea to write them down on paper and always keep that paper in your sight, for instance, on a refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or any other place where it will always be visible. The specific timeframes are up to you, although it makes perfect sense to build your plan every week for short-term goals.
Track Your Calories
If reaching the desired weight is part of the plot, it is of utmost importance to track your calories. Despite what many people think, counting calories is not only for those who want to get rid of some extra pounds, athletes and fighters also take daily calorie intake very seriously.
However, to reach your goals, you should see things deeper as the number of calories is not the only thing that matters. Experts from spartan-apps.com explain that the quality of products those calories come from makes a big difference. You should be aware of what you are eating, of every single ingredient you put in your body.
It’s no secret that plenty of food advertised as healthy and even diet-friendly is chock-full of hidden sugars, fat, all sorts of additives. Hence make sure to check what it says on the tin thoroughly. Thanks to modern technologies, today, it’s no longer a time-consuming procedure if you have a special app that will scan a food bar code and deliver you the full info about the food you’re going to consume.
Drink More Water
Drinking enough water is essential for a healthy lifestyle, but it is even more important when you work out as your body loses much more minerals and nutrients via sweat. You can also take advantage of various sports drinks rich in electrolytes and minerals, but nothing can replace pure water in terms of the benefits it gives us.
If you wonder how much water your body really needs, there is a simple formula to figure it out. Take your current weight, half it, and you will get a number of ounces you have to drink daily to stay hydrated. For example, a 140-pound woman needs to drink at least 70 ounces of water a day. Of course, it could be more, especially in hot weather or when you work hard in a gym.
Zap Your Cravings
Cravings are arguably one of the most challenging parts of your way towards your health and fitness goals. Even though they can serve as indicators that your current diet lacks some nutrients, cravings are often triggered by the lack of sleep or insufficient water intake. While reaching out for a chocolate bar seems to be the easiest and fastest solution, you could do better than that. Try to drink a glass of water first, or if you feel tired, opt for taking a nap.
Stick To The Plan
Once you develop a plan, stick to it, or otherwise, you will end up as many of those who year after year make a New Year’s resolution to change their lifestyle entirely and finally start with healthy eating and exercises. As a rule, their enthusiasm has a short breath and doesn’t go beyond obtaining a gym pass. That is why consider setting aside enough time to make a sustainable plan that suits your needs, capabilities, and current circumstances. Be real and do not plan every day’s workout if, in reality, you can afford it just two times a week.
But once you finalize your schedule, make every effort to follow it. As it is the case with the majority of things in life, proper motivation, and a good plan are keys to success. Set your priorities, know your goals, stick with the plan, and the sky’s the limit!
