11 Tips and Tricks For Those Restarting their Fitness Goals. | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

11 Tips and Tricks For Those Restarting their Fitness Goals.

A do over for those who fell off their New Year's Resolutions.

16
11 Tips and Tricks For Those Restarting their Fitness Goals.

Now that the long and grueling month of January is finally over and we slowly rolled into February, a lot of you might be jumping back on the wagon of carrying with you New Year resolutions. Maybe January was just a "trial year" for some of you. Losing weight and getting fit is the number one to-do on everyone's list of goals, and I'm here to list all the tips, tricks, and food to eat for those looking to get back on track.

1) Buy a food scale. It may seem tedious and rather annoying, but you'll thank yourself in the end. If you decide on tracking your food and counting your calories and macronutrients, getting an exact weight on food to get those exact calories to log will make reaching your goals much easier. There are nutrition labels on almost everything which also labels the calories for the specific serving sizes. Get comfortable with taking the extra few seconds to read those over.

2) Download a fitness app. Tracking your food in different apps available is an effective way to make sure you're staying on top of your eating goals. Some apps, like the popular MyFitnessPal for example, has a section where you can set your calories and food intake to tailor your goals, whether it be to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight for those looking to pack on some muscle.

4) Make protein your best friend. Protein is the biggest staple in someone's diet. For those losing weight, protein satiates you so you don't get hungry, and it also helps maintain muscle so you don't lose it as you're burning your fat. Protein also helps people looking to bulk-up become bigger and much more muscular, as it is a macronutrient that serves as a building block in recruiting lost muscle fibers after a workout.

5) Don't fear carbs. You're probably used to hearing how bad carbs are for you. On the contrary, that's opposite the case. Carbs serve as a re-supplement of energy that's been lost after you work out. Stick to the complex carbs, like whole wheat bread, pasta, brown rice, etc., etc. Those carbs are a lot more filling than empty carbs like sugar and practically anything overly delicious that you know for a fact isn't good for you.

6) Do some conditioning work. Conditioning work is a great way to tone up your body, increase your agility, speed, and performance. Box jumps, jump rope, interval sprints, kettle bell exercises are all great ones to implement shortly after you finished your workout session. Google has an insane amount of different exercise tips and ideas as well that you can get a basis from.

7) Lift weights. Lifting weights doesn't just make you muscular, it can also help to shed fat, tone you up, and maintain muscle while you're losing weight. If you set your calories so that you are eating in a deficit (burning more calories than you are taking in) then lifting weights will help all the more in burning that stubborn fat and revealing your maintained muscle.

8) Do high-intensity interval training or HIIT. HIIT is a great fat burner. It includes doing extraneous bursts of speeds of a certain cardio exercise, followed by a minute of walking or cool down. Do that on and off for 25-30 minutes. Different HIIT workouts include treadmill sprints, outdoor sprints, and even jump roping or rowing.

9) Pick a goal. Whether you're looking to lose weight or get bigger to appear more fit, tailor your needs to achieving that goal. For losing weight, you need to make sure you decrease a few hundred calories from the baseline calories it takes for your body to maintain your weight without gaining or losing a single pound. If you would like to get more muscular, you need to add a couple hundred calories above what it takes your body to maintain your current weight. For example, someone whose body maintains its weight by eating 2500 calories would adjust their caloric needs pertaining to their goals from that number right there. Lose weight? Maybe eat 2100 calories. Gain weight? Crank it up to 2900 calories. Your body is your experiment, and there's plenty of online calculators to also do the work along with you.

10) Be patient. We all heard it, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Well, neither is your body or anything of that matter that you're looking to keep improved for the long term. Take it easy and take YOUR time. This is YOUR goal.

11) Live. When it comes to achieving any type of goal, don't wait until after you achieved it to live a happy life. Life is about the journey and going from there and the different experiences you face while working towards your dream. Take it easy, splurge every once in a while, and treat yourself. While not every day is guaranteed, there's plenty of days ahead of you to jump back on track.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

18049
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

7700
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Power of Dressing Up

Why it pays to leave the hoodie at home.

5633
sneakers and heels
Sister | Brother Style - Word Press

For a moment your world is spinning. The phone alarm has just scared you awake and you’re flooded by daunting thoughts of the day ahead. You have three assignments due and little time to work on them because of your job. You’re running late because you’ve hit snooze one to many times after yesterday’s long hours. You dizzily reach for a hoodie, craving its comfort, and rush for a speedy exit, praying you will have time to pick up coffee. Does this sound familiar?

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Signs You Live At The Library As Told by 'Parks And Recreation'

A few signs that you may live in the library whether you'd like to admit it or not.

4892
brown wooden book shelves with books

Finals week is upon us. It is a magical time of year during which college students everywhere flock to the library in attempt to learn a semester's worth of knowledge in only a week. For some students, it's their first time in the library all semester, maybe ever. Others have slaved away many nights under the fluorescent lights, and are slightly annoyed to find their study space being invaded by amateurs. While these newbies wander aimlessly around the first floor, hopelessly trying to find a table, the OGs of the library are already on the third floor long tables deep into their studies. Here is a few signs that you may live in the library, whether you'd like to admit it or not.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments