Motivation tips for a fit and healthy 2016
Friday, January 01, 2016
It's the 1st of January, and my 'New Year, new me'
philosophy is going swimmingly so far; I kicked off the year with a lovely
nutritious breakfast of the peanut M&Ms that were sitting on the floor next
to my bed from last night. It's a little exasperating that I seem to have
already failed despite all the determination of my plans to transform myself
into a healthy dancer in 2016. However, I won't let it deter me, and this leads
me on to one of the most important points to remember if you're aiming to make
this year a little healthier than the last.
1)
Don't let 'failures' deter you
There's just no point in trying if you're going to freak out
and give up over the slightest slip up. Shortly after my immense M&M
regret, I realised that I'd probably only eaten about 250 calories' worth -
about the right amount for a breakfast, though admittedly not the healthiest
choice - and the peanuts that constitute about half of each M&M are
actually really good for me, and a great source of protein. Always put your
'mistakes' into perspective and don't lose heart. I can guarantee you're not
being as greedy as you think you are! Food is one thing, but I often find that
I stick to an exercise regime for a week, perhaps two if I'm lucky, and then
decide that sleep and Hell's Kitchen are more important uses of my time. But
there are ways to combat this laziness and unwillingness to exercise.
2) Work with others and share motivation
Personally, I'm way
too cheap to splash out on a gym membership, but luckily I have a similarly
frugal bestie who can keep me on track at home. It can actually be a really fun
(and often hilarious) thing to do with your friends; there's such a wide
variety of weird and wonderful workouts available on YouTube. Tag your friends
in fitness videos on Facebook to keep each other inspired and motivated, try
creating a group chat where you and your friends can post pictures and discuss
your fitness goals - encouragement and moral support is a must if you want to
stick to your guns and see real results!
3) Do something you enjoy!
There's no point in running for hours on a treadmill if it's
going to destroy your soul and leave you bored, sweaty and longing for comfort
food. Everyone has different hobbies, but I find that dance/aerobics based
workouts are super fun for everyone. One of our favourite things to do as a
squad is book out one of the university's dance studios and get Kate to scream
at us until we work hard enough. Seriously, if you have a friend who loves
power a little bit too much (sorry babe) and is an awesome dancer (you're
welcome) they can make a very motivating and amusing personal trainer. Even
dancing about wildly to your favourite tunes can genuinely be a massive calorie
burner, you just have to really throw yourself into it... And maybe make sure
nobody is around with a camera broadcasting you live to their snapchat story.
Above all, always remember to stay safe and healthy - don't
become too obsessed and compromise your happiness!
Happy New Year everyone!
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