Lent officially kicked off a couple days ago, and much like what happened with New Year’s Resolutions, there are a lot of people who plan to take the 40 day lead-up to Easter as an opportunity to lose weight and get into shape. Even those who faltered on this course of action after January 1 may try to reclaim the good cause they set out for.
If you fall into this category, or you just want to get into shape regardless of religious affiliation, then there are ways to improve your chances of meeting your goals and becoming the best you that you could be. A new report out of Essex describes some of the ways to do this, and you’ll want to think about putting them into action over the next 38 days and for years to come.
The first thing to remember is that you don’t have to go as hard as you possibly can right out of the gate. This is perhaps one of the biggest mistakes that persons make. People want to commit themselves to a workout and show that they can go hard at the outset, but this inevitably leads to burnout that causes the entire workout to crumble like a house of cards.
Instead, stay well within your limits and take it easy from the start. You can get your heart rate going and your muscles involved without feeling miserable at the conclusion of a workout. Then, once you’re confident in what you’re able to accomplish, you can boost that up a notch to do more than you were able to do on your first go-around. Pretty soon, you’ll be at levels that would have seemed impossible at the start, and you’ll have reached that without putting your body through agony.
Embarking on a concerted workout regimen with a goal in mind will require getting into a mindset that will have you exercising on a regular basis. Doing so can be tricky, but the author at the link above talks about the importance of sleep and diet. These things tie directly into your motivation for a workout. A great diet will have your body feeling more capable, while ample sleep gives you the energy and the recuperation necessary to tackle a workout. You should also get in the habit of scheduling workouts rather than just indulging when you feel like it; in this way, you basically condition yourself to accept exercise as part of your routine.
Finally, make sure that every part of you benefits. If you’re only lifting one type of weights, then this will be to the detriment of other parts of your body. Make sure that your whole body gets a workout and that the workout is varied in terms of cardio versus weight work.
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