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How To Overcome The Fear Of Exercising – Take Control
Fear can be a very debilitating thing when it comes to trying to better your life. For many, it is one of the main reasons why most people are not able to successfully reach their goals.
This is especially true when it comes to bettering one’s health and fitness. In this article, I will be showing you ways on how to overcome the fear of exercising and how you can take control of your life.
It all starts with finding a purpose or reason to want to start making changes to better your physical health. But let’s start with finding out your why.
Finding Your Why
There are many reasons why you may decide to take control of your life and work on improving your health. Maybe you want to play with your children and are tired of not having enough energy to enjoy them while they are young.
Maybe it’s an illness that you have been dealing with, and are tired of letting that be the reason to not try and focus on your health. It can also be the loss of a loved one due to a sickness they suffered from and you refuse to see yourself in that same situation.
Regardless of your reason, if you are struggling to find motivation to start exercising, these are all good reason to give you the kick in the butt you need. Finding your why allows you to push through when things get hard and that voice in your head is telling you to quit.
Your why will allow you to push through and not let any obstacle get in the way of finding success when it comes to your health.
Know That You’re Not Alone
It’s easy to think that you are all alone when it comes to starting your fitness journey. When the reality is there are many people out there that are going through the same thing. Everyone is looking for a way to fit in and find their place and the great thing about fitness is there are many places to find people that you can relate to.
There are gyms and studios that offer so many different types of classes that can give you the help you need to get your health in order. It’s all about finding the right environment for you that will give you the support you need to succeed.
Although big box gyms are very affordable, they sometimes can lack the support needed when it comes to being consistent in your exercise routine. Studios tend to be more community based since they tend to be member focused and actually care about your fitness goals.
Although they can be a bit pricey, sometimes the price is worth the support you get when trying to better your health. Regardless of which option you choose, making sure you have the support of others around you is key to helping you be consistent.
Ask For Help
Everyone knows that eating right and exercise is the foundation to maintaining a healthy body, but sometimes it’s not knowing what to do in order to get there is the problem.
For many, lack of knowledge is a big reason for many not to start on their fitness goals. Understanding that it’s ok to ask for help. Whether it be a trainer or someone that you see at the gym that is in great shape and attends regularly.
There are many people that don’t mind giving a little advice to someone that is serious about getting results. Yes there are those out there that just don’t want to be bothered, but most people are willing to answer simples questions if asked.
Find A workout Buddy
Finding someone to workout with is a great way to have someone hold you accountable to your fitness goals.
Everyone has days where excuses pop up and try to stop you from exercising, but having that workout buddy to make sure you stay committed is a great way to break through that problem.
A lot of first time exercisers tend to get nervous in a new environment, so having that buddy there to go through it with you can be very comforting.
Find An Exercise You Will Enjoy
One of the main reasons people are not able to achieve their fitness goals is due to boredom. Especially come new years where everyone is hyped up and ready to go tackle their new year resolutions only to see that motivation quickly die down come the following month.
A great way to avoid this common issue is to find an exercise you will enjoy. Something that will kick your butt and that will challenge you to always be better. Joining a studio that offers classes like kickboxing or weight training is a great way to always make sure you are challenging yourself to be better.
Not only will you get an amazing workout, but because it’s a class setting, there are always opportunities to meet new people who are like minded individuals.
Take Your Time And Stick With It
Also understanding that improving your health and getting results is not a sprint, but a marathon. I’m sure this is not the first time hearing that, but it truly is. We live in a world where we want everything tomorrow, but fail to understand that the body we struggle looking at every morning didn’t just happen overnight.
So making sure you avoid that disappointing feeling of not getting the results you were hoping for in that month or two is not a good reason to quit. As long as you are being consistent and disciplined when it comes to your diet and exercise, the results will show quicker than you know.
Almost like when there is 5 minutes left at work and you continue to look at the clock and it feels like it never moves. But if you just keep yourself busy, those 5 minutes will fly by faster than you know it.
So yea, just stick with it because one thing is for certain, you will most likely never get the results you are looking for if you decide to quit. Just give it time.
Conclusion
The great thing about overcoming a fear is that once you are able to overcome the fear of exercise and eventually reach your goal, all you have to do is maintain.
I know many who was able to lose their desired weight and once they were able to do it, they made sure to always be consistent so that they never return to person they used to be.
So I hope this article of how to overcome the fear of exercise and take control was helpful to you. If you have any questions of thoughts about what you’ve just read, I would love to hear them So don’t be afraid to share those thoughts below.
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8
How Often Should You Exercise To Lose Weight?
We all know that in order to be healthy, you need to eat right and exercise. Once you get the eating part down, exercise is the next step. So one must ask the question, how often should you exercise to lose weight?
The problem with finding the answer to this question is, exercising does not always equal losing weight. Or what works for one person, does not always work for another person.
Learning and understanding your body and how it responds to different foods or workouts helps in the achieving your fitness goals.
Also, Losing weight is about putting the pieces of a puzzle together to make sure everything fits so you can see the final picture.
So making sure you are eating the right foods and exercising on a regular basis are pieces of the puzzle you are trying to make fit together. But when you really break it down, losing weight really comes down to CALORIES!
It’s All About The Calories
What is a calorie
Calories are the energy found in food. Your body needs this energy and uses the calories found in food to keep you functioning. So when you are feeling weak due to hunger, this is a big reason why. There are three types of nutrients where your calories are found and they are, Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats.
Regardless of how you consume these calories, they are either converted to physical energy or stored as fat. They will remain as stored fat unless they are used up, either through physical activity or by reducing calorie intake in which your body will look to reserves to find energy.
Managing calories
So when it comes to losing weight, the equation is simple. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Without getting too complicated in the numbers, 1 pound is equal to 3500 calories. So in order to lose weight, you will need to burn 3500 more calories than you consume.
A good way to understand this is since there are 7 days in a week, you will need to make sure you are at a calorie deficit of 500 (3500 ÷ 7) daily to lose 1 pound per week. Basically if you are burning 2000 calories a day, you will need to make sure to consume no more than 1500 calories during that day.
Use a Calorie Counter
A good way to track your calorie intake during the day is by using reputable resources that offer tools to count your calories. You can look up Websites and smartphone apps to help find tools to count your calories.
Set A Schedule
When setting up a schedule for exercising during the week, a recommended amount you should shoot for is 3 times a week for about an hour each workout. That is 3 hours you need to find during the week to make time to work out.
I know how busy life can be with kids and work which makes finding 3 hours very difficult, but if you are serious about losing weight and getting healthy, then you need to put aside time to work on you.
Once a week just won’t get it done. It may make you feel good about yourself briefly, but when results are not showing, you will wonder why.
Mix In Some Cardio And Resistance Training
Burning calories is all about being physically active. The more active you are, the more calories you will burn. Thus the more weight you will lose each passing week. When deciding on ways to increase your physical activity, make sure you workouts include a mix of cardio and resistance training.
I would recommend doing some sort of circuit style training to help get your heart rate at an up and down pace. Circuit training is also a great way to get in shape quickly especially if you are a beginner when it comes to working out.
Resistance Training which includes lifting weights is a great way to build muscles and burn calories not only during the workout, but after. Remember, calories are energy the body uses to fuel itself. So building muscles is going to require a lot of energy to maintain, thus causing more calories to be burned.
Using both cardio and resistance training will help boost your metabolism giving you the most efficient way to burn those calories and lose weight both during the workout and especially after.
This being called the EPOC effect, where due to an intense workout, calories are burned hours after your workout. So doing this at least 3 times a week will assure you are getting enough physical activity done throughout the week.
Get Some Rest
Making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep each night we all know is key to losing weight. Imagine burning calories while the body is at rest. Well this is possible as the body is always at work regardless if the body is active or not. Which is a great reason to make sure you are getting enough rest every night.
The body needs to repair itself from the intense workout you put your body through, thus requiring more energy. More energy used + more calories burned = more weight loss. So it is important to rest the body and let it heal so it may prepare itself for more energy to be used the next day.
Remember, It All Comes Down To…
How you feel. We all get caught up in the number on the scale, but fail to realize that no matter what the number shows on the scale, if you are not happy with what you see in the mirror, then it really doesn’t matter.
Just continue to take care of your body and never be afraid to push your body to limits unseen, because with hard work, results are sure to follow.
So what does you workout schedule look like for the week and what are the steps you will take to make sure you are exercising at least 3 times a week. Please share below.
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14
Does Exercise Help Reduce Stress?
Dealing with stress can be hard on not just the individual, but also their friends and family. Feeling powerless to help someone dealing with stress can in turn cause stress for those that are around that person.
Which can cause people to not really want to be around that person, thus creating a lonely atmosphere which is never a good thing.
So when trying to figure out ways on how to deal with this stress, one must be able to first identify it, and then take action on it. Not letting it take control over your life should drive you to wanting to beat this.
Just know that there are ways of dealing with stress and that you just have to find your happiness through it all. One of the most effective ways is through exercise.
You may ask the question, does exercise help reduce stress? The answer to that question is yes! Any type of physical activity can help release endorphins in the brain which will help give you that sense of purpose.
Figuring out which form of exercise or physical activity that is right for you is the key to helping you manage any stress you feel throughout the day.
Understanding Stress
The first step in managing stress, is understanding what is causing you the stress in the first place. It is also important to understand how stress can affect your life greatly in your daily activity. Some of the effects stress can put on you mentally are:
- Lack of Motivation
- Mood to be Altered
- Lack of Focus
- Lack of self worth
Stress can be caused by many things going on in your life. Whether it be work, kids, health, or money. Most times you don’t even realize how much stress is affecting your health. It could be something as simple as getting a headache or getting sick. Some of the Common effects of stress put on your body are:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Chest Pains
- Low sex drive
- Weak Immune system
- Trouble sleeping
Recognizing these symptoms as a result of stress can sometimes be difficult due to other things going on in your life. Thus causing you not being able to know how to find a solution. That’s why it is important to commit to improving your health and make exercise a part of your lifestyle.
Reduce Stress With Physical Activity
If you have symptoms of stress, taking steps to manage stress can have numerous health benefits. There are many different physical activities that help stimulate the brain causing your mind to relax and help reduce stress.
The most important thing is doing something that makes you happy. So many times, we choose to do things because we feel it is necessary instead of doing things that makes us happy. Some of those things can include:
- Any Physical Activity (jogging,walking, exercise)
- Relaxing techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation or taking a yoga class
- Having some alone time such as reading a book or maybe listening to music.
- Socializing with Friends and Family
- Something simple as SMILING 🙂
It is important for you to do these things because it can help take your mind off of whatever may be stressing you out. At times we forget to make time for ourselves and get caught up in what everyone else is doing.
Also participating in a activities like exercise can give you a sense of accomplishment. Knowing you were able to complete a workout, gives you that positive mindset. Also, the result of regular exercise helps you look good and feel which will help in creating a positive mindset.
Seeking Help
If you are not sure if stress is controlling your life, don’t be afraid to have a talk with friends and family to help give you encouragement and also help let you know that you are not alone in this.
If you have taken steps to control stress and your symptoms continue, then consult a doctor or other specialists that may help identify other causes of your stress.
Also make sure to ease into this process of controlling stress. The last thing you want to do is stress out over trying to manage stress.
So don’t let stress control you and know that you don’t have to do this all in one day. Making sure you continue to have a positive mindset will help in you beating stress throughout your daily life.
Please feel free to comment below on what steps you take to manage your stress daily.
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22
How To Get In Shape Today
Is it New Years yet?…
The time most people wait to decide to get in shape. You figure it’s a perfect time to start something new, something fresh and make that commitment to focus on you.
So you look for ways on how to get in shape now, but then weeks go by and the feeling of something new and exciting slowly fades away until the next New Year comes rolling along.
As we all know, a new years resolution just isn’t enough anymore to get you started in your fitness journey. You have to find your WHY!
How to Get in Shape Now!
Before you decide to get in shape today. You must first decide what your why is. I say this because, before I decided to get involved in the health and fitness world, I had to find out my reason or passion for wanting to get involved.
It couldn’t be just about oh I like lifting weights. I needed something that was going to get me through the days when motivation can be tough to find.
So when I decided that my why would be to help inspire and motivate others, I knew this was something I could stick with for the long haul.
Some of your why’s could be:
- Having energy to play with your children
- To Lose weight
- Get stronger
- Burn fat and build muscle
- Fit into a pair of Jeans
Now once you have located your why, I want you to Imagine how it would feel to accomplish any of the above goals. Sometimes you need to imagine yourself in the moment to help give you the push you need to get in shape.
When it comes to trying to get in shape, it’s easy to start and then quickly fade especially when results are not quickly seen. So it’s important to always remember your why so when you feel like falling off the wagon you say to yourself….NOT TODAY!
Where Do You Start?
Before you decide to get in shape, you first have to find out what type of exerciser you are. What I mean by this is, how do you like to workout? Are you a person who likes to workout by themselves, or in a group?
From my experience with speaking with those trying to get in shape is that most women tend to like working out in a group and men prefer to workout by themselves. So regardless if that is the case or not, first decide that for yourself.
Once you have figured what kind of exerciser you are, it’s time to decide what kind of exercise you want to get involved in. As many of you know, there are many different types of exercises to choose from.
The tough part is choosing the right exercise for you that will not only get you in shape, but is going to provide some excitement and fun for you as you push through this journey of awesomeness.
The reason I bring up finding something you will have fun with is because from speaking with people, getting in shape can be hard for most.
There will be a lot of sweat and soreness, so you want to make sure that whatever you are doing to get in shape is something you will look forward to for at least 3 hours per week.
What also helps is finding a workout buddy. Someone where you could hold each other accountable for days when you feel like sleeping in.
This is can be a crucial part of trying to get in shape because the days where you just don’t feel like doing anything and trust, there will be those days.
Your accountability partner is there to make sure there is no slacking off. So find a friend and make it a priority to workout together.
How To Start Exercising
The Few ways to get started in fitness again depends on what kind of exerciser you are. The few ways are:
- Join a Big box gym
- Person Trainer
- Private Studio group training
- Outdoors
- Working out at Home
Join a Big box gym
Some of the benefits to joining a gym is its affordability. You pay a monthly membership and you have available to you all the amenities the gym has to offer.
If you are person that likes to workout by themselves, the gym is a great place get in the zone and do your thing. Some gyms even offer group training classes for those that like to workout in a group.
But with positives comes negatives and one negative that many people have with gyms is the lack of motivation. Most people join a gym and then months later forget they even have a membership.
Also, a lack of comfort when it comes to working out due to not knowing exactly what to do. Lastly, not feeling a sense of want when they check in.
Front desk workers don’t really know your name and what your goals are so there is no one there to ask you how everything is going.
Hire a Personal Trainer
Although personal trainers can be expensive, hiring a personal trainer is a great way to help get you motivated and show you exercises that can help you reach your goals.
Keep in mind that you can hire a personal trainer at either a big box gym or a private studio.
One concern I have with trainers from big box gyms is that the gym itself is more concerned with selling memberships and products rather than you reaching your fitness goals.
Which makes it difficult for the trainers to really focus on really helping you get in shape.
Private Studio Group Training
The great thing about private studio is that they are not only focused on getting memberships, but YOU! Their focus is making sure you are successful in reaching your goals because if you are successful, then so are they.
What I also like about group training in studios is their per class affordability. The monthly cost may seem high, but if you break it down per class, you are getting a great deal.
Unlike 1 on 1 personal training session where the cost can be pretty high, large groups can be more affordable for the individual.
There are many studios out there that offer all different types of workouts. You have kickboxing studios that focus on fitness and not fighting.
You also have studios where they focus only on weight training. So depending on what your goals are, there are many studios out there to fit what you are looking for.
Outdoors
Who doesn’t like working outdoors! If you love the sun and the fresh air, then this is an awesome way to get in shape.
Running tends to be a great thing to do when outside, but you can also do some group training sessions outdoors.
Of course you have to worry about the weather, but working outdoors is an awesome way to start getting in shape.
Working out at Home
If you like being in your own space and not worrying about the hassle of waiting for machines and costly memberships, then working out at home may be for you.
Depending if you’re into lifting weights, cardio or even a little yoga, working out at home can be a very cost effective method to getting in shape.
Just keep in mind that if you are a person who struggles with motivation, then working out at home can be quite a task as no one is there to push you.
So there you have it. Some of the ways to help you get started on your fitness journey and on your way to getting in shape today.
So please leave your comments below and let us know some of the ways you like to get in shape.