If you spent most of 2021 sitting on the sofa, watching TV, and eating too much, you might feel a desire to improve your health and fitness moving forward. Yet, embracing physical activity can come with various challenges you might need to overcome, from refining your technique to improving your comfort.
If you want to lose weight, get fit, or build muscle mass, read these five top tips to help you reach your fitness goals in 2022.
Stick to a Diet and Exercise Plan
Every year there is a new diet and exercise craze that takes the media by storm and grabs the attention of the public. Yet, they are often difficult to stick to and could make you feel disheartened to follow a healthier lifestyle.
Rather than following trendy diets or fitness routines that will soon fall out of fashion, stick to a simple diet and exercise plan each day, such as:
- Adopting a balanced diet
- Performing at least 20 minutes of physical activity per day
- Reducing calorie consumption
- Drinking more water
Following various health trends and programs might delay improving your health, which is why you must follow traditional, effective tactics.
Simplify Your Goals
In addition to following simple diet and fitness plans, you must set realistic, clear goals. Instead of telling yourself you want to lose a significant amount of weight, set a smaller, realistic target, such as losing 2lb per week.
It will ensure you wake up each day with the aim of burning calories. Each small step will make a big difference to your waistline over time, and it will feel more achievable each day.
Focus on Improving Comfort
Comfort is essential during exercise. If you struggle with pain, soreness, or discomfort when performing reps or burning rubber on a treadmill, you might lose concentration and feel tempted to quit a session.
Look for ways to improve comfort during exercise to eliminate unnecessary distractions. For example, buy supportive footwear, a comfortable sports bra, and moisture-wicking fitness clothing. Also, if you wear glasses each day, you could improve your comfort and vision during physical activity by wearing disposable sports contact lenses.
Drink Plenty of Water or a Sports Drink
Dehydration will increase feelings of tiredness during and after exercise. Improve your energy levels and reach your fitness goals at a faster rate by drinking plenty of water or a sports drink before, during, and after a workout.
Water will rehydrate lost fluids during exercise, as it replaces nutrients and minerals that will leave the body via sweat. However, a sports drink is a good alternative, as it features electrolytes to hydrate your body, which can help you work harder when performing reps or using fitness equipment.
Make Exercise Fun
Believe it or not, exercise doesnโt need to be hard or boring. Make exercise as fun as possible to boost your enjoyment and commitment to physical activity.
If the idea of hitting the gym fills you with dread, consider the following workout options:
- Attend a fitness class, such as Zumba, yoga, or boxing
- Go swimming
- Enjoy bike rides with loved ones
- Start mountain climbing
- Join a running or walking group
- Do a fun home workout like Openfit
By improving your comfort, hydrating your body, and keeping your fitness goals simple and realistic, you could enjoy a healthier, happier body in 2022 and beyond.
