Everybody wants a hot, lean, muscular body, right? But how many of us actually put in the work to obtain that physique? There is always one excuse after the other, "I don't have enough time" or "I don't want to pay for the gym". It's time to throw out the excuses and look for fun ways to get in shape, and stay in shape! Here are five tips to get you started...
Have Fun and Try Different Types of Exercise
Not a lot of people will/want to take the time (or money) out of their day to go to the gym. So what? You don't need to be at the gym to get a good workout, there are many more fun ways to burn calories anyway!
Get a group of friends together to play a game at the park. Whether it's basketball, football, or baseball, or even just to run around with the kids, it's a cheap way to get exercise as well as spending quality time with loved ones.
Ask your partner or a friend to attend a dance class with you. In your area you should have several options for classes such as salsa, hip-hop or tango, pick the best one for you! This is very fun exercise and an opportunity for bonding.
Boxing/Kickboxing is also a great form of exercise outside of basic cardio or weight-lifting sessions. Look for a class at your gym or at a location that specializes in it and you'll be shedding pounds in no time!
Eat Healthy
You're obviously not going to lose weight if you're a regular at the drive-thru. If you must keep eating take-out at least choose healthier alternatives. These alternatives include:
- White meat instead of dark meat
- Fruit instead of fries
- A salad instead of a burger
- Tea or water instead of the soda
- Small fries instead of large fries
If you do take the time to cook, what you pick at the grocery store can effect your waist line. Instead of buying pre-packaged foods, look for fresh produce to cook. One very simple tip is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. When you do this, you will buy the fresh necessities instead of junk food.
Give Yourself Something to Look Forward To
If you have a monthly magazine subscription, save the magazine to read at the gym. If you just bought a new book or ipod, use it at the gym. Saving these items for use at the gym will give you another thing to look forward to (besides that sexy body you're working for of course!).
You can also reward yourself with things like a pedometer to take to the park with you. You can also wear the pedometer all day long to encourage yourself to walk more throughout your day.
Keep a Picture
Do you have a picture of yourself in which you have the body you wish for right now? Or do you ever read magazines and see pictures of people whose physique you would LOVE to have? Take those pictures and put them somewhere you can see them often. This will serve as a constant reminder of your goals and will prompt you to keep up with a healthy routine.
If you need help finding a great motivational picture, visit fitnessmagazine.com. This website has tons of pictures as well as tips and methods for staying fit.
Set Goals
When we set goals we give ourselves something to strive for, and we feel great when we accomplish them. You can set a goal to lose a certain number of pounds, to fit into an old outfit, or to complete a race. If you set one big goal for example, to complete a marathon, set mini-goals within that goal.
Finally, when you complete your goal, reward yourself! Give yourself a new book, a new gym bag even a gym membership. This way, you will have something else to use while you work out and you can set new goals.
Any of these could work very well for you, if you find one that doesn't, skip it and find another. The trick is to find what works best for you and stick to it.
Staying motivated is the most difficult part!