Have you often started activities and dropped out due to frustration, an injury or loss of motivation? Are you hoping to develop a fitness schedule for good health this year? Find inspiration in the following ten tips to get fit for your adventure vacation.
1. Enjoy exercising or stop!
Exercise should be fun straight away, so the first moments of an activity count. To incorporate fun in your workouts, create a well-balanced training schedule with different styles of activities such as biking, running, rowing, yoga or anything else that keeps your mind engaged and your body moving.
2. Try a new sport.
Don't shy away from a new sport just because it seems too hard at first. It often takes a few weeks for a sporting routine to become comfortable while your body adjusts to the new training. Be patient with the process.
3. Find a buddy or buddies.
Go with a friend who has roughly the same training goals and abilities. It's important that the person you workout with accepts your limits and can motivate you when you feel like quitting.
4. Set a goal.
Whether your goal is continuous running for half an hour or finishing your first ultramarathon, write your own training program or have one made by a sports instructor.
5. Be flexible.
Don't attach too much importance to the date of your final goal. Life isn't as straightforward as a training schedule, so if you do not feel well enough to exercise, then postpone the schedule for a week or two.
6. Listen to your body.
If you don't feel up to it today , listen to your body telling you so. Perhaps start your exercise and give yourself a chance to warm up. Turn off the intensity for a bit and see how your body feels. Sometimes you will find that you just needed a few minutes to get over the bump and you start to feel great, and sometimes you decide after 15 minutes that today it's just not happening.
7. Workout to get more out of life.
How do you accomplish this? Use the time immediately after exercise to relax completely. Do not eat right away or go showering. After exercise, your body releases wonderful endorphins and serotonin. Write down the ideas that bubble up directly from this excellent source of creativity or finish that tough article. Your most productive moments tend to come right after a good workout.
8. Stop when it hurts.
Immediately stop a movement when it really starts to hurt. If you're running, for instance, continue the journey walking. Punishing yourself in these moments can cause injuries. Extreme exercising can be self-destructive and is extremely unhealthy.
9. Give your body sufficient time for recovery.
When it comes to training, listen to the traditional Dutch motto "Act normal - that is by all means crazy enough." If you're not a professional athlete, then don't pretend that you are by training too intensively. Two to three times a week of intensive exercise is definitely sufficient to get fit, or do something lighter for half an hour everyday and take one day off.
10. Sport to celebrate good health.
Health is a gift. Be thankful for whatever measure you have of it while you have it. Be good to yourself. If you start to feel low for poor performance or are not seeing the results you'd like to see, ask a loved one for a hug and a dose of perspective. Now get moving!
