101 Fitness Tips That Rock

101 Fitness Tips That Rock

101 Fitness Tips That Rock

1. Strive for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. Break it down to 40
2. Minutes 4 days a week, 30 minutes 5 days a week, or however you’d like!
3. Cut calories in your morning cup of coffee by skipping the cream and sugar. Instead, try drinking it black or reducing your amount of each.
4. Keep a journal! Tracking keeps you accountable, and studies show that those who keep journals are more successful at weight loss than those who don’t.
5. Thoughts are powerful; pay attention to yours. Do you encourage yourself with positivity or hold yourself back with negativity?
6. Eat foods that are closest to their natural state as possible. Eat whole, fresh foods in a rainbow of colors.
7. Reduce the amount of processed and packaged foods you consume. Generally speaking, the fewer the ingredients, the better the food.
8. Drink water! Most adults need about two quarts of fluid per day to replace normal water loss or approximately eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
9. Add protein powder to smoothies for an added boost. Choose unflavored powders for versatility.
10. Find a deeper reason to get healthy other than a number on the scale. Do you want to be able to run with your children or grandchildren? How about being able to enjoy food without feeling guilty all the time? Staying in touch with a deeper reason for health can motivate you to keep going when things get tough.
11. Find a form (or two!) of movement you enjoy. It’s easier to do and stick to things we enjoy.
12. Add some muscle building activities to your workouts. Free weights, resistance bands, muscle sculpt classes or using your body weight with push-ups, planks and squats all work.
13. Keep in mind that striving for perfection usually leads to disaster. Set small goals and stair step your way to success by developing healthy habits.
14. Don’t DIET. Reverse the letters in the word and EDIT what you eat. Make it a lifestyle change toward healthier foods, not a deprivation plan.
15. Take one to two days a week for active recovery. Take a walk. Do a gentle yoga class. Just do something that’s less intense than what you do for exercise the other days of the week.
16. Select healthier choices to have on standby in your fridge when hunger pangs or emotional eating strikes, such as a bowl of fresh strawberries or blueberries.
17. Follow the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy 80 percent of the time. Indulge occasionally, but make sure most of your choices are healthy.
18. Shop the perimeter of your grocery store— where food tends to be the healthiest and less processed.
19. Find different ways to measure success other than stepping on the scale. Instead, pay attention to how you feel after you’ve been working out consistently.
20. Get an accountability partner for exercise and weight loss support. Exercise together, share tips and swap encouragement.
21. Work out in the morning. While the time of day makes no difference when it comes to results, you’re more likely to make excuses as the day goes on.
22. Work out in the morning. While the time of day makes no difference when it comes to results, you’re more likely to make excuses as the day goes on.
23. Display your results. Whether it’s the pounds you have lost, how many times you worked out this week, or a picture of you showing off results, display it to motivate you to keep it up!
24. Circle the days on a calendar when you’ve worked out. That way, you can feel proud of your successes and be able to repeat the schedule that worked for you in the past.
25. Want to speed up your metabolism? Building muscle is the key since muscle burns more fat at rest.
26. Think two pounds at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself with your ideal goal weight. When you are down two, feel proud and then think about the next two pounds.
27. Eat smaller portions—especially when you are eating an indulgent food.
28. Buy a new workout top, headband, or piece of equipment. Having something new can motivate you to actually use it!
29. Eat slowly. Put your fork down in between bites to keep from overeating. When you eat more slowly, you allow your mind to recognize when your body is full.
30. Celebrate small wins! Treat yourself to a massage, watch your favorite TV show, or draw yourself a nice, relaxing bath. Just make sure your “treat” doesn’t sabotage your success: like a pint of Ben & Jerry’s 
31. Make a list of positive affirmations that work for you. Here’s a few to get you started: I love to exercise. I want to live a healthy life. I am getting more fit each day.
32. There’s no such thing as “cheating”. Don’t beat yourself up. Empower yourself to make a better choice next time.
33. Put your health goals at the top of your priority list. If you’re constantly taking care of everyone else, you’ll never have time to take care of yourself!
34. Swap a bad decision with a good one. Go with the healthy alternative!
35. Never go more than two days in a row without exercise. This applies to your vacations too!
36. Eat mindfully. Pay attention to what you are eating. Ask yourself if you really are hungry or if something else is going on that’s causing you to turn to food.
37. Don’t start and stop, just keep going. If exercise is new to you, start off slow and aim for a few workouts per week and then increase as you go.
38. Create measurable goals you can check off along the way. These should be smaller things that take you only a couple of weeks to accomplish. You can have your ultimate goal, but if it’s years out, motivation can wane.
39. Create measurable goals you can check off along the way. These should be smaller things that take you only a couple of weeks to accomplish. You can have your ultimate goal, but if it’s years out, motivation can wane.
40. Stop eating when you are satiated and not stuffed.
41. Make an irritation list. Oftentimes, what’s getting us down are a bunch of little irritants rather than one looming problem.
42. If you have a desk job, consider a standing workstation. Or at the very least, stand up or pace when you use the phone. People in constant motion burn more calories.
43. Drink caffeinated tea as an afternoon pick-me-up or decaf tea as a way to wind down at night. There are so many health benefits to tea including: lowering blood pressure, reducing wrinkles, aiding in weight loss and more.
44. Set rules that work for you. Many people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off have set rules for themselves.
45. Make a list of bad habits you are willing to give up and the good habits you will start.
46. Get a stainless steel portable water bottle to take with you everywhere. Using less plastic is good for the environment.
47. Change your limits and surprise yourself. Push yourself. When you surprise yourself, it will motivate you to keep going—or set your sights higher.
48. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound. Calories in, calories out. Just work on burning more than you take in.
49. Foam roll to relieve tight muscles and achy joints. Foam rollers are affordable and easy to use; aim for about three times a week for best results.
50. Read other success stories as motivation. Learning about others’ success can encourage you to keep going and believe in your own.
51. Ramp up the intensity on your workouts to rev up your metabolism and break through a plateau.
52. People have the tendency to underestimate the calories they consume. Tracking ALL of your calories for a week or two can be helpful in getting an honest assessment of how many calories you’re eating per day. Don’t skip anything – you’ll only hurt yourself by not being honest.
53. Think of exercise and movement as an all day thing. Just because you got in a 45-minute workout in the morning doesn’t mean you should sit on the couch the rest of the day.
54. View each day as a clean slate. Practicing self compassion means not beating yourself up after a day that fell short of your healthy living goals.
55. Trade your soda in for sparkling water. It’s still got the carbonation you’re used to but will save you tons of calories, not to mention the artificial colors and sweeteners.
56. Don’t compare yourself to others; focus on your own progress instead.
57. Try yoga. Yoga can help you feel centered. It stretches and strengthens your body, improves your breathing and awareness, and empowers your mind.
58. Get enough sleep. How much and the quality of the sleep you get can directly affect your appetite.
59. Find music that motivates. Music can help take your workout up a notch if it’s music that appeals to you.
60. When a craving strikes, try to find a reasonable, healthy substitute that might still appeal to you. If not, allow yourself to indulge in a craving, but do so in small portions. Remember the 80/20 rule.
61. Make sure your footwear is suitable for your workouts. Everything from ankle, knee, and hip pain can be aggravated or even caused by improper footwear.
62. Don’t be afraid of fat! Healthy fat, that is. MUFAs, or monounsaturated fatty acids can actually keep you satiated and aid in weight loss. Nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, avocados, and dark chocolate all make the cut.
63. Try circuit training. Circuit style workouts combine multiple different exercises and charge your metabolism while helping you shed pounds.
64. Eat more greens!! Kale, spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard or collard greens. Greens are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals to protect you against disease.
65. Never dine at your desk! Tempted to stay near your computer through lunch? Don’t do it, your meal will be less satisfying and you’ll be more likely to want more food soon after.
66. Don’t forget to warm up before a workout! Without a proper warm up for your body, you’re likely to exacerbate joint and/or muscle pain and cause injury.
67. Cook at home as much as you can. You’re better able to control all the ingredients and stay away from excess calories.
68. Aim to eat five servings of fruits and veggies daily.
69. Use consistency to compound your results. It’s not what you do once in a while that counts, it’s what you do each day.
70. Follow fitness accounts on social media and use them as daily motivation, inspiration and encouragement.
71. Fitness apps are a great way to track your progress at your fingertips. Find your favorite one and use it as an accountability tool.
72. Plan ahead. Use Sundays as prep days to eat healthy all week. Get enough produce and staples needed for the week.
73. When you’re in the mood for a crunchy snack, try popcorn. It’s a low calorie food you can eat a lot of that also has the added benefit of fiber. Homemade is the best!
74. Commit to a 5k to motivate you to train. Plus, you just may find out that the energy of the supportive crowds really motivates you to keep jogging—long after the race.
75. Be sure to stretch after exercise. If you can loosen your muscles post-workout, you’ll have happy joints ready to go for your next sweat session and less pain.
76. Ramp it up slowly. If you hate exercise, make incremental changes each week. Aim for 20 minute workouts at first, then increase your time.
77. Skip the gym membership fee and the commute and workout at home. Join me on Get Healthy U TV for tons of full length workout videos and workout calendars.
78. Don’t try fads and gimmicks. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Losing weight takes time and hard work, but you can do it.
79. Be prepared for the morning frenzy. Freeze a few fruit smoothies to grab on the go in the early mornings.
80. Drink lemon water in the morning to hydrate and balance pH levels. Alternatively, dilute one teaspoon to a maximum of two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water. Start small and increase as you can handle the taste.
81. Schedule your workouts just like you would any other appointment and stick to it. You wouldn’t no-show a meeting at work or a doctor’s appointment; don’t no-show your workouts either.
82. Don’t overdo it on cocktails. My cocktail of choice is red wine. Red wine also has antioxidants, making it good for your heart. Liquid calories add up fast, so opt for one glass only.
83. Make a green smoothie for breakfast. I typically make a green smoothie with frozen banana, pineapple, almond milk, coconut extract, kale and spinach.
84. Same habits equal same results. If you aren’t getting results, change what you are doing.
85. Pay attention to serving sizes on labels. It may say only 100 calories, but if you’re eating double the serving size, then you need to double the caloric number as well.
86. Interval train. Twice a week, instead of going at a steady pace for 30 minutes, go easy for 3 minutes and hard for 1 minute. Repeat this pattern 5-6x!
87. Finding yourself reaching for ice cream every night? Try Greek yogurt instead with a little honey, berries, and dark chocolate chips or walnuts.
88. Don’t expect the weight to come off fast. Be realistic! Remember: it takes time to gain weight; it takes time to lose it.
89. Don’t go to parties hungry. Only fill your plate up once with your favorite appetizers and then stop eating.
90. Try a fitness tracker on your wrist. There are many options from pricey to less expensive, but one that can track your steps and your workouts can add increased motivation to your fitness journey.
91. Be prepared for busy. It’s always good to keep healthy snacks on you—especially if your schedule is crazy.
92. Got an injury? Treat it with ice/cold therapy if it’s less than six weeks old. If it’s more than six weeks old, heat therapy is your best bet.
93. Realize exercise and your diet are married forever. You can’t lose weight with one and not the other— period. There’s no getting around it.
94. Exercise is a great stress reliever and mood booster. When you’ve had a rough day, going for an outdoor run or throwing a few punches in a kickboxing workout may be just what you need!
95. Eating healthy on a budget is possible. Instead of buying fresh fruits and vegetables, try buying frozen, especially when out of season. They’re packed at the peak of freshness; just be sure to check the labels to stay clear of brands with other additives.
96. Be aware of your triggers. Does an argument with your spouse or loved one typically send you to the fridge late at night? Or how about a stressful day at work triggering you to hit up the drive-through on the way home? Being aware of your triggers can cause you to recognize when they may occur and prevent bad choices.
97. Cross train. You still want that cardiovascular exercise to stay in the schedule, but change the activity you are doing.
98. Make hard-boiled eggs at the beginning of the week for a ready-to-grab protein-packed snack you can eat by itself, or add to other items like avocado toast.
99. Be prepared for hunger to strike when on the go. Keep non-perishable, healthy snacks on hand in multiple locations like your car, in your gym bag and purse. That way you can always have a healthy option you can turn to when in a pinch.
100. Develop a positive attitude. Your thoughts determine how you feel and often determine what you can accomplish. As Napoleon Hill once said, “What your mind can conceive and believe, you can achieve.”
101. We need more meditation and less medication. Meditating is easy to do and its benefits are numerous. Reduce stress, improve your health, get centered, breathe better and get focused.Stress produces higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol which can make you crave sweet and salty foods. Reducing your stress will not only help your mind, it can help your waistline!