There are lots of challenges to overcome when you want to get in shape but knowledge isn’t one of them. There are pages and pages of articles about losing fat, losing weight, burning calories, eating healthier, building strength, etc. Knowing what to do isn’t the problem. The problem is doing what you know you need to do even when you feel like doing the right thing isn’t working!
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It’s this lack of noticeable results that makes getting in shape so hard for so many. We all want to be in perfect shape after just a few workouts. We expect those “runner’s highs” and endorphin rushes. We keep waiting to feel super great while we’re working out but even after weeks or even months, the workout still sucks and it feels like we’re just going through the motions without making any noticeable improvements.
That’s the thing about working out and getting healthy. It happens so slowly that you don’t really notice it happening. It’s kind of like aging that way.
So how do you know it’s working? How do you know that you’re making a.jpg)
ny progress?
Stop Weighing Yourself and Start Measuring Yourself
We’ve all been there… you work out every day, eat a calorically-restricted diet and yet, every day when you climb on the scale the numbers barely move if they move at all. It’s so frustrating and demoralizing! So stop doing it!
What you might not know (or be ready to accept) is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat. My advice? Stop weighing yourself every day. Only weigh yourself every other week at most. Then, once a month, measure yourself. Watch as you lose inches even if you aren’t necessarily losing pounds!
How Hungry Are You?
It feels like one of the most unfair things in the world – after a workout, you feel famished. It’s really hard to not shove all of the food you see into your face immediately. That, however, is the mark of a really good workout. If you aren’t hungry after you exercise, you aren’t really working your muscles.
The trick during these moments is to make healthy choices. Instead of chowing down on fried food, go for some healthy carbs to help replenish your energy levels. This way you don’t accidentally resupply your body with the same amount of calories you just burned!
Track the Data
Some people feel better when they have data to prove what they might not be able to feel. Keep track of the time you spend working out and how you exercise. Chart your numbers like your inches and pounds and even how many reps yo.jpg)
u do. It’s also good to keep track of things like your heart rate and other things you do during the day. Some people even track how many steps they walk. You can do this yourself with a simple spreadsheet, or you can get high-tech and use a fitness heart rate monitor app. Most people prefer the app route, because it allows them to track their details even on the fly, instead of having to write them down and remember to enter them later.
Make Sure Your Workout Makes You Work
It’s true that you can get healthier by going the slow and steady route. A lot of people, for example,
choose to walk for an hour instead of running for twenty minutes. These tend to be very patient people. You, however, are not likely that patient. If you want to really make sure your fitness routine is getting the job done, it should feel like work. It should require your focus. If you can chat with friends or read a book while you’re doing it, you aren’t going to get the results you want.
There are lots of things that you can do to improve your workouts and make sure that they are working for you. These are just some of them. What are some of the things you do to reinforce the progress you’re making as you get in shape?
