Did you know that there are a few key factors other than exercise and diet that have a big impact on your fitness progress? If you want to look better, the most common suggestion is ‘eat less and move more.’ But it’s not always that simple, or even accurate. Even with the very best diet and fitness routine you may struggle to reach your goals if you forget about important things like getting enough sleep and positive self talk.
Often building a sustainable habit is the hardest part of starting a new routine, but once you’ve built a strong habit the benefits will show in no time. Try focussing on these four often forgotten factors that can have a big impact on your fitness journey without you realising.
Sleep
Between living your life, working, and exercising, you may find that you’re forgetting to prioritize sleep. Or maybe, you don’t realize that sleep is the key to being rewarded for your diet and fitness efforts.
Not sleeping enough (less than seven hours of sleep per night) can reduce and even undo the benefits of your workouts and healthy eating. Lack of rest makes you crave food and can sabotage your workout the next day. This is because you might find you’re not able to push as hard as you usually would.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Also, try to make sure that one poor night of sleep isn’t followed up with a few more. It might not seem like much, but it could make all the difference.
Learn more about why might put on weight after you start a new exercise program.
Self Talk
Did you know that practicing positive self-talk can help you stay motivated to stick to your weight loss goals? The truth is your thoughts will determine your behavior, which in turn, will determine your results. Constant body dissatisfaction can lead to a host of negative effects, including depression and negative body image.
If you learn how to control your thoughts through positive self-talk, you will also learn to control your actions, which will lead you to the results you’re after. Try writing a gratitude journal and reminding yourself of how far you’ve come.
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Support Groups
Research shows that habits spread through our social networks and it’s no different for working out. It’s easier to stick with a fitness or weight loss plan when you have support, can share tips on diet and exercise and have an exercise buddy (even if they’re virtual!)
Have you tried working out with a friend or family member? Having a friend to exercise with means you’re more likely to show up AND stick to your habit.
If you’re a member of my program make sure you make use of the QUEENTEAM FACEBOOK GROUP to motivate and support you. They’re such an incredible group of women!
Get Outside
The gym is great when it’s too cold to workout outside, but when the sun is shining exercising outdoors is a great way to make you feel revitalized. Did you know that exercising outdoors can help you experience higher levels of post-exercise endorphins?
You may also find that you lose interest in your fitness routine if you’re constantly exercising in the same place. Exercising outside provides you with lots of new scenery and places to workout that will help you stay on track.
Now you know the other factors that have a big impact on your fitness progress you can see that it’s not always as simple as ‘eat less and move more’. In order to get long lasting results make sure you focus on the whole picture. If you have any questions please email me. I love hearing from you and always answer your messages personally. Send me an email anytime at contact@alexia-clark.com.
