We placed it on our ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ list – eat healthily, exercise, drink more water, and lose weight. We are now two months in and some of us already have failed diet attempts and canceled gym subscriptions. Sis, you are not alone. We all want to be healthy and fit but this is honestly a challenge that requires the utmost dedication.
Why is fitness so important anyway? Other than being able to fit into that dream outfit, staying active and eating a balanced diet lowers your risk of heart disease, reduces muscle and joint injuries, alleviates stress, increases self-confidence, and your overall quality of life. Taking care of your body in this way increases your chances of longevity and the good news is that it is never too late to start!
If you are interested in losing weight and starting your fitness journey, here are a few tips to be successful:
1. Start small – Most of us want to dive into fitness before we can even swim. If working out is new to your lifestyle and you try to work out every day for an hour or more, you will get fatigued very easily and lose motivation. Take baby steps. Start off by doing 1-2 days a week for about 30-40 minutes. Build on your progress as you go!
2. Start with strength workouts – If you have a sedentary lifestyle (mostly inactive with little to no exercise), then your muscles need to be trained to handle the impact from physical activity. Do not try to run, jump and lift heavy equipment right away because this can cause muscle and joint injuries. Try low-impact exercises like box squats, wall push-ups, or modified jumping jacks. Youtube is a great resource for these types of exercises. Increase the intensity of the exercise as your fitness level increases.
3. Have a realistic timeline – Not to burst your bubble but you may not get your dream body in just 1 or 2 months. In order to be successful, you need to make a long-term commitment to include exercise into your lifestyle. Consistency is key! Do not think of exercise as another task on your to-do list. Find ways to make it an exciting part of your day – something to look forward to. Set goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. You will start noticing small changes after a few weeks such as improved energy levels and sleep patterns. You can look forward to significant changes in your body within 6 months to 1 year.
4. Do the activities you love – If the gym seems boring to you, explore other physical activities. What is your favorite sport or activity? Do you prefer dancing, swimming, hiking, boxing/shadow boxing, walking, etc? You do not have to stick to the traditional jogging-on-a-treadmill type of workout however, it is important to make time for strength training to build your muscles.
5. Focus on how you feel, not on the scale – Use the scale as a guide but be careful since it can also be misleading. The scale tells you your weight: Weight = Muscle + Fat. When you start losing fat but gaining muscle it may look like you are not losing “weight” because the scale does not count your muscle gains. Since this can be discouraging, try using progress pictures to start. Take a picture of the front and side profile of your body every month to compare and track your results.
6. Make small changes in your diet – It can be overwhelming to suddenly switch up your lifestyle and your diet. There’s no rush! Start small! You might want to consider the following:
[] Try replacing juice with a glass of water
[] Reduce your intake of candy, sweets, cookies, and cakes
[] Reduce and replace fried foods with baked or roasted foods
[] Add more vegetables to your meals (fresh or steamed)
[] Make small reductions in your portion sizes
[] Use fruits and nuts as your snacks
[] Stay away from Sodas
[] Eat less fast food
[] Reduce your alcohol intake
7. Don’t worry about what others will think – Not many people focus on this aspect of the fitness journey. I can say from my own experience and experiences of others, that there is an unspoken feeling of judgment when you start caring about your health and making changes to your lifestyle. You may even experience criticism and ridicule from friends and family. Just remember you can do anything you put your mind to. This is about you and your health so it doesn’t matter what people may think or say. With consistency and time, you will gain more confidence. You will feel motivated by your results and that feeling of accomplishment will create a cycle that will drive you to success!
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get you started on your fitness journey! Sis, you got this!
About the Author
Minkah Frampton, affectionately known as ‘Minx‘, hails from Loubiere, Dominica. She grew up near the beach, river, and bushes and you could almost always find her swimming, climbing trees, or riding her bicycle. Her love for health & fitness stems from shadowing her mother who is a certified personal trainer. Minx is planning on pursuing her Personal Trainer Certification and continues to research new and innovative ways to stay in shape. Her goal is to motivate others to begin and maintain their fitness journey and to show others that dedicating time to one’s health can be fun and worth the effort.
Check out Minx’s fitness profile on Instagram for more fitness videos and tips.