The beginning of the year is the most popular time to join a gym and to start a health kick. Most people will be cutting down on alcohol or doing dry January, limiting their food intake, detoxing, partaking in juice diets and going to the gym frequently. However, those good healthy intentions quickly fade out over the course of time…
Health kicks aren’t just for January, so here are a couple of tips to maximise your fitness motivation onto February.
Plan your meals
Planning out the food you need for the week will help limit the junk food you buy and will help you to stick with your healthy diet. You won’t be able to snack on unhealthy treats if you don’t have them in your household in the first place! Knowing exactly what you need will not only save you wasting money on things you won’t eat but will provide you with an easy food list to pick everything up in the shop quickly. The secret to staying on your health kick isn’t just about hitting the gym but also what foods you are keeping in your fridge.
Read more: How to pack a healthy lunch for the office
Reward yourself
Depriving yourself of all your favourite vices is setting you out to fail straight away, and your health kick won’t last. Cutting out your most loved foods will lead to binge eating and overeating as a result. Rome wasn’t built in a day nor will you love a healthier diet in it either. You should allow yourself a cheat day every week or every two weeks to get rid of any cravings and to make the transition easier. It’s all about eating things in moderation and not overdoing it.
Make your own juices
Juices are one of the best ways to rid your body of toxins and are a good way to increase your intake of fruit & vegetables. Homemade fresh juices contain more vitamins, minerals and other nutritional compounds than store bought options, so they are much better for your health kick. The juices you buy in the shops more often than not contain added sugar which reduces the healthiness of it. Homemade juices can help with digestion, save your body energy, add more fibre into your diet and are good for your health as they are full of antioxidants.
Go for a walk everyday
The happier you are the more likely you will be to carry on with your health kick and the best way to boost your mood is to get some vitamin D. Taking a 10-20-minute walk during your lunch break will provide you with fresh air and expose your skin to sunlight, giving you a nice dose of vitamin D and boosting your happiness.
Read more: Benefits of walking to work
Track your progress
It can be difficult to know how you are doing in the gym or just how your health kick is going if it isn’t being monitored. Setting yourself goals and seeing the results is the best motivator there can be to keep working out. There are many apps to help you track your progress, food intake or goal. Along with fitness trackers, which are great for allowing you to see your fitness results. Simple things such as seeing yourself reach 10,000 steps can feel like an achievement and as if you are taking a step in the right direction.
