Fitness is not an easy thing to maintain properly, but it is one that rewards you ten-fold for all the work you put in. However, it is a necessity that should not be avoided if one wants a healthy and happy life. Fortunately, extreme measures are not required. A little bit of time and some dedication is all that you need to get into shape. It might even be fun.
Decide on a fitness routine that you enjoy, and are confident you can maintain. Try and find an activity that you like so it won't be a hassle to work out.
Rewards are a great way to motivate yourself. Something as simple as new workout clothes might be enough to keep you on track in your exercise program. Even a small item like that can help keep you motivated so that you will keep going to the gym.
Most people try to reach their fitness goals by lifting weights. While lifting weights certainly help you to meet your fitness goals, it's also possible to do simple exercises like push ups and pull ups to reach your goals.
In order to maintain your fitness routine, try paying upfront for a fitness club for many months. Not getting the full value of what you paid for will likely motivate you to go to the gym more often. If you find it a chore to get out to the gym, this strategy may be your last resort.
Use an array of different exercises to keep from getting into a workout rut. Adding variety to your exercises will help maintain your interest level and make you a little more eager to go back and work out again next time. This also uses different areas of muscles so your body does not become accustomed to it and not benefiting from the exercise anymore.
Strength Training
A good tip for proper maintenance is to sign up with a club or some other gym that requires upfront payment. This will create guilt if you do not attend, which gives you incentive to go as often as possible. Of course, this is something you should do primarily if you have issues committing to a specific location.
Depending on what goals you put in front of you will determine how much you have to put into strength training. Training less often will let you achieve larger, stronger muscles. For muscles that are leaner and defined, perform strength training more often.
Instead of avoiding the parts of your workout that you don't like, make yourself do them. The thinking here is that most people will avoid doing activities that they are not good at. Therefore, overcome your weakness in these exercises by continually practicing them in your regular workout.
Try to maintain 80 to 100rpm when biking to work. This means that you will be able to ride for a longer time and much faster without straining your knees and getting tired. This can be determined by simply counting how many times your right leg goes up every ten seconds, and multiplying that number by six. You should try to keep this rpm.
Try some wall sits to build your strength in your legs. Make sure you find a big enough wall space for you to do wall sits on. Start about a foot and a half away from the wall, with your back towards the wall. While bending your knees, you need to lean backward so that your whole back rests against the wall. Continue to bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground and you are in a sitting position. Maintain this position as long as humanly possible.
Count down when you are performing repetitions, which will help your level of inspiration. This will help you get a better idea of how many you have left and keep you motivated a lot better than counting up.
In conclusion, it's not always really fun or easy to get fit. All it really takes, though, is a good attitude and hard work. No one expects you to begin the long journey to a lifetime of fitness all alone. You have help available to you in your family and friends, so what are you waiting for? Get out there and start today.