After a few consecutive weeks of stuffing your body with a whole lot of cookies, ham, turkey and all the trimmings, it’s time to get back into the swing of another semester. The average student diet can often seem like a relief from our holiday extravagances. Often students come back to residence, apartments, and roommates with resolutions for the New Year to reshape themselves. This can include losing weight, bulking up, or even leaning out. Before you get caught up in looking for pounds, inches or ripples, take some time to put together a plan.
If you make health and fitness a priority you will start seeing results before you know it. Here are seven simple steps to get you closer to turning your crazy dreams into real results.
1. Be realistic. When starting a new fitness program or routine, always ask yourself “Is this realistic?” The answer should be, “Yes, I can commit to that.”
2. Look at your nutrition. Stop and look at your plate. Make sure it’s not filled with only meat and carbs. Get yourself a “veg-ucation.” The more colour you see, the more likely you’re getting nutrition that will help you succeed.
3. Drink eight cups of water per day. It will help you burn calories more effectively and stay hydrated, which will keep you going in the long run.
4. Track your calories and make sure you are eating enough of the right calories. Most women need 1,400 calories a day and men need 1,800. We all need a mix of calories from protein for muscle and complex carbs like fruits and veggies for energy.
5. Get moving. Pick a workout plan that works for you. Whether it’s walking, running, or hitting the gym, make sure you’ll enjoy it. You’re not always going to look forward to your workouts, but if you’re not really enjoying them, you need to change it up.
6. Stay motivated. Find out what gets you amped. It is only when you combine motivation and a good workout plan that workouts become less of “I’ve got to do” and more of “I want to do.”
7. Be consistent. Track your days. Keep a notebook or put a dot in your calendar to make sure you stay consistent. So many people think they are being consistent but they really aren’t.
When you put these elements into play you can’t help but see results, and once that happens there’s no stopping your transformation. Feeling good is addictive, it’s energizing, and it’s contagious. Don’t put too much emphasis on the perfect time and place — just do it.
