1. Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones
Do you spend a lot of time on social media looking at random posts or pictures for hours a day? Instead of spending your free time browsing social media, try doing a 20-minute workout. This will get the blood flowing through your body and improve your mood. Muscle DNA can change after a short workout and you will become stronger over time. Workouts also help to prevent injuries. Do you find yourself drinking sugary drinks or eating candy and unhealthy snacks? Substitute in a smoothie or some tea with no sugar or if you can manage, just drink water! You should be drinking between 2 to 3 liters of water a day. Instead of reaching for candy, chips, or cookies, grab some unsalted nuts or fruit. Added sugar is the biggest culprit to weight gain and serious health problems like diabetes.
2. Take your workouts to the next level
Challenge yourself to workout for a little bit longer in 2021. If you're used to doing a 10-minute workout, double it and make it 20! If you already workout for 20 minutes a day try to increase it to 30 or 40 minutes ! Remember, just because you are increasing the duration of your workout, doesn't mean the intensity level should drop. Keep pushing for the whole time and you will see newfound results in the new year. Another good tip is to keep a workout journal . Take notes about each exercise regarding your performance. For example, say you are doing a plank, and you can hold the plank position for 45 seconds. Write that down in your journal. You can also write some notes about your feelings or if anything made you uncomfortable. If anything feels off, consult a fitness professional so you can prevent injury. The next time you attempt the same exercise, refer to your journal and try to push yourself a little further than you did last time. Do you own a wearable that can trac k your heartrate? Consider purchasing one so you can track your heartrate throughout your workout. This will allow you to push yourself harder and burn more calories. In addition, a wearable can track your total daily activity so you can set small goals for yourself such as walking more steps each day or burning more total calories!
3. Get a good night’s sleep
How many hours do you sleep per night? Studies have shown that humans need between 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night. When you exercise, sleep is important for recovery and feeling energized the next day is beneficial to being able to perform at your best when working out. Also if you find yourself staying up late at night, you might feel hungry and more tempted to eat at night right before bed which can lead to weight gain. When you don’t sleep enough, your body produces insulin which causes excess storage of fat and a higher risk of diabetes. Not only are the number of hours important, the quality of your sleep also matters. Some tips for increasing quality of sleep is to go to sleep at the same time very night and to avoid sleeping in, even on weekends. Try to avoid naps unless necessary and spend more time outside during the daytime. Another key is to avoid bright screens within 1 to 2 hours of your bedtime and to try and exercise before dinner so your body is able to relax at night. Avoid heavy meals at night and caffeine and you should be able to have a great nights sleep!