Start your fitness journey one new habit at a time. I spent so much of my young adult life trying to figure out how to start but between magazines, websites, and advice from friends, I never knew what to do.
Everyone had a different opinion, theory or thought, but no one gave me the right way to start. It was frustrating because I tried to do everything I saw. This ultimately led to failure and the search for a new way to get healthy.
You first need to ask yourself what is your fitness journey goal.
Obviously, this can and will change over time, but we need a baseline. If you want to lose weight you have to first look at your daily habits. If you think about it, your habits govern how you live most of your life and this is a lifestyle change.
When I started my journey, I had so many habits to change and I didn’t know where to start. I tried to change everything at once and it ultimately let to confusion and failure. My goal for you is to just start with one. Here are a few to try:
Log your food for accountability to start your fitness journey
This is a huge help when starting a fitness journey. It is amazing how often we have no idea what we are putting in our bodies or how much. I have been using the myfitnesspal app for over ten years now and it has been an eye opener.
This will be a helpful tracker
I try to log daily to see what I’m doing and it also makes me more mindful of what I’m doing because I know I have to log anything I put in my mouth. Don’t forget liquid calories! If you don’t want an app, pen and paper are helpful, too. Any visual can help you have tangible data to use.
Always be more active
This does not mean go to the gym and workout until you can’t move or do something you hate (but don’t be afraid of the gym!). Find something you enjoy as long as you move more. Some ideas: walking, hiking, running, weight lifting, group fitness, trampolines, dancing, boxing, etc.
Walking is a great tool for anyone. I love to walk with my family or alone and just listen to music. This is a perfect workout to start with. If you can’t walk for long, just try 10 minutes and build up from there. You will feel great! Any movement is better than sitting all day. Exercise is meant to make us feel better!
Always put treats away
At my house, we have so much candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, chips, literally everything that is bad for you. But, many times, we have to throw it out because it has gone bad. How? We rarely leave any of these foods out on the counter. It all has a place to go.
We have a candy drawer and the snacks stay in the pantry. I’ve noticed when we get something special and it has to stay out it gets eaten quickly. Ever hear of “out of sight, out of mind”? I am a huge believer in this!
I know I have trouble if there is food that I see all the time, I just want to eat it. Just the act of putting food away has helped me become a healthier person. We even freeze birthday cake so we don’t feel pressure to eat the whole thing before it goes bad.
Purchase a food scale for accuracy
This is only a small part to start your fitness journey
I weigh my food, every day. In the past, I used to estimate based on the label but this is so much more accurate. For example, I have oatmeal every morning. I weigh out a serving size instead of using a measuring cup.
Many times, the measuring cup is not accurate due to how you fill it. I know peanut butter is a huge one! If you try to get a tablespoon of peanut butter instead of weighing it, you could get around 20-30 percent more than a tablespoon. Just trust me when I say weighing is the only true way to get an accurate serving size.
Your goal this week is to try one of these things. Just pick one to make it your habit. If you feel like trying a couple, go for it, just don’t get overwhelmed. It takes 21 days to form a habit so consistency is key.
What has worked for you in your personal fitness journey?
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