Did you ‘spring into spring’ this week? Or was it more of a limp? Maybe you started the year as an early bird exerciser or a night owl gym goer but now you’re feeling more like a permanently exhausted pigeon?!
If your enthusiasm for exercise has dwindled, you’re not alone. Sadly, so many people who start fitness regimes at the start of the year quit them.
So, if you’re thinking about giving up entirely remember how well you have done already just by not quitting. Feel proud and enjoy being in the committed minority.
Here are my 5 fitness truths to help you stay ‘fitspired.’ Stick to frequent exercise and you’ll feel like a spring chicken in no time!
1. You can gain weight but still lose body fat and you can lose weight and gain muscle.
The number on the weighing scales can be very deceiving and demoralising at times. The scales cannot measure progress. They cannot measure changes in how you feel on the inside or look on the outside.
If you’re a regular reader of my blog you will know I’ve recently added weight workouts to my exercise regime to try and build muscle. Whilst I have not yet gained any inches, so many people have commented on how I look more toned. I’m actually starting to see the difference in myself too.
2. A one-pound weight loss is better than you think.
Disappointed you only lost one-pound after a week of hard work?
If you lost a one-pound every week for 3 and a half months you would have lost a stone. That’s a potential three and a half stone you could lose in over a year with a weekly one-pound loss.
3. It takes around 12 weeks to see noticeable changes in your body.
Whilst this may not seem like a motivating fact, it is a reminder not to give up at the 1 or 2 month mark and risk not seeing the rewards of the hard work you have put in so far.
4. Having more muscle results in having a higher resting metabolic rate.
You will also burn more calories when you do work out as you’ll be able to work out harder.
5. Exercise is good for your skin and improves its overall appearance.
Increasing your blood flow through exercise helps carry nutrients to the working skin cells and flush out cellular debris which has a cleansing effect.
Regular workouts over time have an anti-ageing effect as exercise helps maintain muscle mass which prevents sagging. It helps increase cell-turnover keeping you looking fresh-faced and youthful.
