If you want to drastically change too many things, both predictable and unexpected obstacles are sure to provide you with some serious interference. Shit! So how can you prevent relapsing, frustration and loss of motivation? By taking it nice and easy! It’s also important to mentally prepare yourself for having a weak moment from time to time. That’s life…
Make 2021 the year in which you change a little something about your lifestyle habits every day. Lifestyle habits are your habits regarding exercise, smoking (bah! 😉), alcohol, diet and relaxation. They are lifestyle pillars that impact your health. What’s your lifestyle? If smoking and/or alcohol aren’t a part of your lifestyle, you can focus on the other lifestyle pillars.
So let’s focus on exercise, diet and relaxation.
Exercise: Are you getting enough exercise? If the answer is no, try to find a way to include exercise in your lifestyle. There are so many options available. For example, you can run or jog in the morning, do aerobics for some morning or afternoon cardio, do push-ups in between online meetings or take a walk during your lunch break. There are even people who do squats or calf lifts while brushing their teeth. Yes, it really can be this easy to get a bit more exercise. Or how about tensing your core muscles and glutes when sitting down on and standing up from the sofa? And doing a few squats in between shouldn’t be too hard, should it?
In short, you can examine your personal lifestyle to find out how best to activate your body and consciously put it to work. Also don’t forget the Basic-Fit app, which has a ton of workouts you can do at home. Make your muscles and bones work on a regular basis, because sitting too much really will make your body “rust”.
Diet: Don’t make yourself crazy with fad/strict diets, but rather try to see how you can make your own diet a little bit “healthier”. For example, try to include vegetables or fruit at every meal. This really isn’t all that difficult, but sometimes you need a little inspiration to get your eating habits to a healthier level.
Here are some good options for breakfast and lunch: muesli with fruit, an egg white shake with banana, an omelet with stir-fried veggies, a home-made salad or a club sandwich with lettuce, tomato or radish. And some healthy dinner choices: pasta with a green side salad, a beet or lentil hamburger with sweet potato fries or stir-fried veggies with meat, fish, chicken or tofu.
Not inspired to come up with meal ideas? Then check out the Basic-Fit app for healthy, easy and tasty recipes!
Relaxation: A healthy lifestyle includes a good balance between exertion and relaxation. That’s why you should regularly make time for YOURSELF. Time to relax and do fun things, so you can really unwind and recharge. Of course, sleep is an essential; part of the equation here! Sleep is not a luxury but a must for a properly functioning body. Getting enough sleep allows you to recover both physically and mentally. Usually, six and a half to eight hours of sleep is sufficient.
Make 2021 a great year by taking care of yourself! Forget about good intentions and work towards new or better lifestyle habits instead. Don’t be too hard on yourself and take it slow. Easy does it! Stay healthy, keep exercising and look forward to a year that can only get better from here.
This blog is written by one of our Personal Trainers, Angelina Hammond.
