5 tips to help you stick to your fitness goals this summer

For a lot of us, winter was long, cold and indulgent. And because we simply couldn’t tear ourselves away from the cozy, comfy couch, we might now feel that our pants are sitting a little more snugly than before. Even more importantly, you may be feeling the effects of letting your fitness slip to the bottom of your priority list. If you’re feeling more out of breath than usual, it’s time for a change, but where do you start?

Get back into those good habits and make this summer all about feeling stronger with these handy tips to regain your fitness.

Take it easy

No, not as easy as you took it this winter! You might feel motivated to get back into the swing of things and jump into the hectic training routine you were used to, but don’t. Rather ease yourself back into exercise. Remember that your muscles took a break too and need time to work up to how strong they were before. If you try to push yourself right from the start, you could hurt yourself and set back your fitness goals even more.

Moderation is key

Living a healthier life is about more than just fitness; you need to combine this with healthy food choices if you really want to jumpstart your wellbeing. Yet the thought of going cold turkey on your favourites can be scary to say the least, and enough to send you into a panic if the cravings get out of hand. The solution to this is not to stop eating your favourites altogether, rather treat yourself to a small portion every now and again. This way, you won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself and will be less likely to overindulge.

Keep your chin up

No one said this was going to be easy but having a positive outlook on life helps make the process run smoother. Apart from staying positive, it helps to set yourself goals, for example doing 10 sit-ups today and 20 by next week. Seeing progress and feeling the changes in your body is a great and healthy motivator to help you achieve your fitness goals.

Track your progress

Grab a notebook and write down what you ate, how long you were able to exercise for and what type of exercise you did. Do the same tomorrow and the next day. It might seem like a tedious little exercise on top of trying to stay healthy, but having a visual representation of your progress is an effective way for you to stay motivated and on track.

Buddy up

Encourage a friend to join you on this journey and have them also document their progress, compare notes and keep each other accountable. Afterall, you don’t want your friend to see that you walked a kilometre less this week than the previous one! Encourage each other, go on hikes and give them a call if you need any advice.

Achieving your fitness goals starts with making small changes to your lifestyle, ensuring you have a positive mindset and the support you need from friends and family. Feel better inside and out and start feeling fitter today.

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