If you’ve spent 20, 30, or even 40 years repeating unhealthy behaviors and you’re now trying to make a positive change then you have to be patient... It will happen. It’s going to take time, but if you follow these tips it's gonna happen even faster! Oh, and it always helps if you remember these words, too… Don’t give up! ;-) So here are my 5 Tips For Faster Fitness Results: #1) Identify Your Triggers! Learn what triggers your bad habits and unhealthy decisions. Find the correlation. For example; WHO are you are with, WHAT you are doing, WHERE are you at the time, and WHEN are most of these poor decisions made? By identifying the people you’re with, the times of day, the locations, and the environments that trigger your bad habits, you can increase your awareness exponentially thereby insuring you continue, undaunted, on your path of positive change. #2) Clean House! Have you ever heard that if you want to stop drinking alcohol, you should remove every drop of it from your house? Well the same holds true if your fitness goal is to improve your nutrition. You gotta clean your house... Make sure you get rid of the junk food in your fridge and cupboards. Because, when you remove the temptation, you remove your weakness to give in. And that will always get you to your fitness goals faster! #3) Swap it Out! Learn what healthy treat alternatives you like best and rely on using them regularly. For example; replace the high sugar Starbucks drink with something lower in calories, healthier, or less acidic (like unsweetened herbal or green tea). Save the dinner wine for dessert and pair it with a sweet treat like a piece of healthy dark chocolate (70% or more cocoa) or swap out a vending machine option with healthy nutrition/protein bar. You can even replace the soda pop with lemon water or no-sugar carbonated flavored beverages. #4) Ease In! Speaking of dinner wine; I love my red wine. It's a way of treating myself or enjoying a great meal, but too much can be detrimental. So, I gradually began limiting my intake. Rather that go cold turkey, I limiting myself to a glass (or two) a few days of the week instead of every night. Easing into positive habits is a great way to insure you make the transition toward permanent healthy change and reaching your fitness goals sooner than expected. Delaying gratification is another great way to take the small, incremental steps necessary to make a lasting change. This leads me to our last tip... #5) Dangle the Carrot! There is something self-assuring to know that on Saturday you can reward yourself with some cheat food and a few of your favorite beverages. The knowledge that those things aren't off limits "forever" can often give you the incentive you need to make it thru another day without caving into old habits and poor fitness decisions. I’ve used the “carrot” since 1992 to keep my health, body, and state of mind in check. Trust me; I know from real world experience that it works.
Got any tips that help you speed along the health and fitness journey? I'd love to hear'em! Share your advice in the comment section below - and always remember; keep moving toward a better you!
