Even now that the worst of the pandemic is now behind us, the importance that it has placed on maintaining one’s overall health is something that stays with us to this day. Because of that, more and more people are now taking active steps to improve their overall health, one of which is finally exercising regularly.
In case you need a reminder of why physical activity is important, it actually comes with a seemingly endless list of health benefits that should keep you motivated. Apart from strengthening your muscles and bones, it also helps with weight management and loss, ensuring that all your bodily functions are working properly. It also has a lot of mental and cognitive benefits like improved mood and energy levels and boosted brain function.
These are only some of the few ways that getting regular sweat can help improve your daily life, but there are a few things that beginners should remember when starting out in order to make the journey as sustainable and successful as possible.
Here are 3 ways to stay motivated while you’re getting fit!
Tip 1: Start Slow
When you take that first step and decide that you want to get fit, it can understandably be a very exciting choice to make, but a mistake that many people make is that they push themselves too hard too quickly. It’s important that you ease your way into exercising for a few different reasons, the first one being injury prevention.
As a beginner, you won’t be equipped with the necessary strength and endurance to engage in more intense and advanced workouts, and jumping into any activity without the necessary preparation and foundation will only increase your risk of getting injured.
Instead, start off with low-impact exercises to condition your body and gradually increase the intensity when you feel that you’re ready. This will help you avoid any strains, sprains, and other injuries that could keep you down for long periods of time, consequently forcing you to restart your fitness journey.
Tip 2: Take Rest Days
Another common mistake that many beginners make is that they don’t allow themselves to take enough rest days with the belief that more exercise sessions will translate to more visible results. This belief is a very easy one to fall into, especially when you’re still riding the uncontrollable excitement of starting a workout, but it’s a very wrong one that can leave you severely injured.
While many believe that the changes in your body happen during the workout itself, most of the magic actually happens when your body is resting. The activities and exercises you do during your workout leave microscopic tears in your muscle tissue and damage it, but it’s actually during these rest days that these tears get repaired as your muscles get stronger and more significant.
Apart from that, it’s also just important to let your body rest, particularly after a more intense session. Not taking enough rest days in a week will keep your body from fully recovering, which will lead to a lower level of performance and a greater risk of suffering an injury, especially for muscles, joints, and tendons that are used excessively. When you allow yourself enough time to rest and recover, you’ll find it easier to continue moving forward.
Tip 3: Make it Fun
The great thing about exercising is that you can reap many benefits regardless of what kind of activity you engage in. That means that there’s no single form of exercise that’s better than others, so make sure that you’re doing something that you actually enjoy. There’s no point in getting fit if you have to force yourself to do it, and it won’t be a sustainable solution because you’ll be less inclined or stay motivated to stick with it.
There are a lot of different activities you can try out like walking, running, dancing, pilates, yoga and so much more. Exercising should be something that you look forward to doing, so get out there, stay motivated, and try something new!
You don’t really need a lot when you’re starting out, but there are a few basics that you’ll want to have. If you’re looking for some items to help you kickstart your health journey, visit Temu to find everything you could possibly need to workout.
Check out Temu’s official website or download the mobile app today!
