If you’re interested in getting fit, you should consider creating a fitness plan. Whether you’ve been trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just get in better shape, creating a fitness plan can be challenging. There are so many options and activities to choose from, and it can be overwhelming.
A good fitness plan includes rest days, which allow your body to recover from intense workouts and improve over time. Once you’ve established your goals and clearly understand what you want to achieve, it’s time to start planning. If you’re constantly starting over, feeling like a failure, or getting bored, it’s time to rethink your routine.
Practical Tips To Ensure Your Fitness Program Plan Sticks
Getting fit is a goal worth striving for. You want to be at your best and feel your best, but sometimes it can be hard to keep up with things. You might have an idea of what you should do, but it’s not always easy to make it happen.
The best fitness plans are the ones you can stick with. Here are some simple tips that can help ensure you’re getting the most out of your gym workout schedule:
Start Small
If you’re trying to lose weight, begin by making one change at a time that is manageable for you. Don’t try to make drastic changes overnight. Instead, start small by adding just a few minutes of exercise per week. You might not see results right away, but the more consistent you add those minutes each week, the faster they add up!
On your plate, begin by focusing on eating less junk food and more healthy foods.¹ Once you’ve mastered that goal, add another one, such as increasing your exercise routine or adding strength training exercises.
Find a Workout Buddy
Get some company and accountability. If you have someone going through the same thing as you, it will be easier for you to stay motivated and committed to the fitness goals you set for yourself.
It is especially true when you’re starting a new fitness regimen. It’s easy for one person to fall off track but hard for two people to do so simultaneously, especially if they have each other’s backs.
Pro tip: Since soreness is common in the early days of beginning a fitness journey, encourage each other to perform percussion therapy as a recovery modality. You can also join a wellness program for motivation.
Set Realistic Goals and Expectations
Having high expectations is great because it gives us something to strive for, but it can be discouraging if they aren’t realistic. Be honest about what you can realistically achieve within a specific time frame, and give yourself credit for reaching those goals!
If you want to lose weight, make sure you eat fewer calories than what you burn (caloric deficit). If you want to gain muscle mass, eat more calories than what you burn (caloric surplus). The key here is finding what works best for your body type and goals to avoid injuring yourself or getting frustrated when things don’t work out as planned.
Flip Your Mindset
If you are struggling to exercise, change your mindset around it.² Focus on what you love about working out rather than what you hate about it. If you think of it as something that you must do for the rest of your life, it will seem like a chore.
However, if you think about it as improving your overall quality of life, it becomes an enjoyable part of everyday life. When you view exercise as a positive thing rather than a negative thing, it becomes easier to stick with it!
Be Patient With Yourself
One of the most important steps in sticking with a fitness program plan is being patient with yourself. It takes time for your body to adjust to your new diet and exercise habits. So, don’t get discouraged if things don’t go perfectly at first — there’s no magic formula for success!
If you’re not seeing results after two weeks, look at what changes. If you’re cutting out too many calories or eating too few carbs, ease up on those restrictions until your body gets used to them. You’ll see better results in the long run.
Get Started on Your Fitness Program Plan Now!
It’s easy to lose momentum when it comes to your fitness goals. It seems like a good idea when you first start, but reality hits, and you get busy with work, family, or other obligations.
The best way to make sure you stick with your plan is by creating an actionable plan. Instead of just thinking about what you want to do, write it down so that it becomes real.
Links to Sources Used
- How can you reduce junk and eat more healthy food? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fast-food/art-20047179
- How to change the mindset around fitness. https://www.uwhealth.org/news/resetting-your-fitness-mindset
