Tips for Getting in Shape in a Way That Doesn’t Feel like a Chore

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Everyone wants to be in good shape, right?

Although we all know that exercise is healthy and important because of those health benefits, it’s also the case that one of the major reasons why so many people make fitness-oriented New Year’s Resolutions every year, is because of the desire to look fit and to be able to perform better at a variety of physical feats.

That being said, though, “getting into shape” in the first place is only part of the equation — because it’s definitely possible to get into shape, but to then struggle to stay in shape.

Whether you’re interested in getting as muscular as possible, with or without the help of https://www.uksarms.com, or whether you want to achieve your peak potential as a marathon runner, or as a flexible yoga enthusiast, a big part of the key is to figure out ways to get (and stay) in shape that don’t feel like a chore.

Here are some tips and ideas.

Change your basic food and dietary principles

A very common saying in the world of health and fitness is: “It’s impossible to out-train a poor diet” or “It’s impossible out-run a poor diet.” Either way, the point stands.

It is a pretty straightforward thing to realize that your diet and nutrition are the most important factors in your weight, because it’s almost impossible to burn off more calories than you can conceivably consume, just through exercise.

Crash dieting is not likely to be the solution here, however. While you may lose a lot of weight quickly by just not eating, you will eventually ruin your health and will likely binge eat with avengeance if you don’t stick to it long-term. And then there are the metabolic consequences to consider.

It is time to change your way of cooking and eating food in order to make it more sustainable.

Michael Pollan’s timeless advice of “eat (real, non-processed) food, not too much, mostly plants,” is probably a great place to start. It is also a good idea to focus on foods high in fibre and other nutrients, and lower in calories.

For your own enjoyment, take up physical activities that you enjoy

Exercise is best, and is most sustainable, when it’s obtained via physically active pastimes that you enjoy for their own sake.

Instead of thinking only about “working out,” think about what types of physical activities you might be interested in.

Focus on the activity and not the “workout.” If you hate jogging but love yoga and Pilates, by all means avoid jogging, and stick to the yoga and Pilates.

Get enough sleep and pay attention to your gut microbiome health

There’s plenty of research indicating that the health and number of the beneficial microbes in your gut has a lot to do with everything ranging from your health and immune function, to how easy you find it to maintain a healthy weight.

This is also true for sleep. Regularly getting high-quality sleep is better for your health. It also helps you be less impulsive about what you eat during the day.

Consume probiotic foods such as kombucha, sauerkraut, and kefir. Also, eat prebiotic foods rich in gut-healthy fiber like legumes and fibrous green vegetables.

Then, cap it all off with a good night’s sleep.