Get Back Into Your Routine!

Are you struggling to get back into your health and fitness routine after the holidays? If you are that's alright because you are not the only one! It's difficult when you enjoyed the past couple of weeks spending time around family, eating delicious foods, relaxing from your everyday life, etc. There is nothing to feel guilty about when you take a little time off to simply just focus on yourself and your own pursuits. Actually, taking a break is a good thing sometimes as it can be very beneficial to your body's physical and mental progression. Just because you take a break doesn't mean you will lose all of your hard work.

Constantly pushing yourself and working too hard can place some serious stress on your body both physically and mentally. Without taking a break, this can have a negative impact on your overall health as it may cause you to become more fatigued or lead to a physical illness or injury. That is why resting is so important, as it allows your body the time to destress and recuperate before getting back to work. So push aside any negative feelings that you overindulged over the holidays and see the beginning of 2022 as a fresh start or opportunity to get back on track in your health and fitness routine.

Here are a few key ways to get started or back into your health and fitness routine:

1. Take It Slowly: After being on a break from working out it is natural for the body to decondition itself. When you do get back into exercising remember not to push yourself too hard as it can lead to injury. Instead, start slowly and increase the intensity and duration of your workouts over time as you start to build momentum. Fitting in a time span of thirty minutes to exercise a day, or every other day will help you to set the minimum of what you need to accomplish on a regular basis. As a bonus going slow will increase your chances of sticking to a fitness routine, which will help to build your confidence.

2. Change Your Eating Habits: Fuel your body with proper nutrients by selecting the right carbs, proteins and fats to eat. Over the holidays you may have eaten unhealthily, so focus on drinking more water and eating more greens in your diet. Remember, eating and exercising go together, so eat properly to regulate blood sugar, insulin levels and reduce your intake of unhealthy foods.

3. Set Better Goals: Write down your health and fitness goals for 2022 and then record your progression. When you have reached a goal, reward yourself with a small treat and keep up this pattern. Remember, it takes at least 18 to 254 days to form a new habit you will stick to, but once you make it that far you should be back on track with your health and fitness regime.

4. Set A Schedule: Document your workouts and eating habits not only to track it but to ensure you schedule and make time to work on your goals. Use your phone or kitchen calendar as tools to pick a day and time to workout, the point is not to cancel on yourself. This is time you're putting aside to spend on yourself, so don't let yourself down.

5. Stretch Your Body: Don't forget to start and finish your workouts with a stretch. Stretching is essential for exercising as it maximizes your performance by loosening up your muscles, lengthening them and relaxing tight muscles to avoid injuries.

6. Listen To Your Body: Pay attention to how your body feels when you begin exercising and always respect your limitations. If you experience any pain or strain when exercising, consult your healthcare provider for advice before starting again. Doing incorrect exercises or movements can lead to further injury, severe pain and a longer recovery time.

When getting back into your health and fitness routine it is important to consider all the above factors as they help you to plan, set, record and identify your patterns of eating and exercising. Using these tools and tracking your progress will help you to make adjustments and better decisions to bring you closer to reaching your goals.