Perhaps you've made it your New Year's resolution to transform from yourself from flabby to fit, or maybe that beach trip is around the corner and you're dreading unveiling your body in front of everyone. Regardless of your reason for starting a new workout regimen, there are considerations to give yourself the best chances of long-lasting success.
Keep It Real
A natural inclination is to want to make over your body in a matter of days or weeks. In reality, that's not happening. Begin by writing down your overall goals in terms of weight loss, weightlifting ability or whatever else you're aiming for, and coming up with a plan that includes incremental goals. For instance, if you want to lose 20 pounds or drop three dress sizes, devise step-by-step benchmarks to aim for. Check your success against your goals every week; you'll help yourself avoid the disappointment that can come with not seeing drastic improvements early.
Focus Your Efforts
There are a million different ways to work out, so find the ones that suit your goals. If you want to add bulk to your body, focus on weight training rather than cardio activities. If you're looking to slim down, cardio is precisely what you'll need. Everything you include in your routine should have a purpose. But don't fall into the trap of doing the same workout every day. The constant strain on the exact same muscles could lead to injury, and the redundancy can wear you mentally. In a study performed at the University of Florida, exercisers who varied their routine were far more likely to continue exercising than those doing the same things repeatedly.
Treat Your Body Right
Your body is going to be challenged by your new regimen, so to give it the best chance of succeeding, take care of it. Drink plenty of water before, during and after workouts in order to avoid dehydration, which can lead to decreased performance in workouts as well as some physical ailments. Eat plenty of protein; it provides your muscles the amino acids they need to recover from strenuous activity. And stretch before every workout to minimize the chances you'll suffer an injury, most commonly pulled muscles.
Get Plenty of Rest
Just like eating right and hydrating sufficiently will help your body as it transitions into your new regimen, so, too, will getting enough sleep. A University of Chicago study concluded that exercisers who slept 5.5 hours nightly lost 55 percent less fat and 60 percent more lean body mass than those who slept 8.5. So regardless of whether you want to lose fat or gain muscle, getting enough sleep is vital in maximizing results.
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