Your fitness routine doesn’t have to trigger eating disorder behaviors. We’ve put together some helpful tips in this post to help you establish an enjoyable fitness routine.
This blog post is all about Fitness | 10 Helpful Tips To Nurture Your Fitness Journey
1. Figure out the person you want to become
Every morning I do a little journalling. Nothing crazy – just a few sentences or one page – and I write about the kind of person I want to be that day and in my life in general.
Here’s an example:
- I want to be a person who lifts other people up
- I want to be a person who values her social life as much as her professional life
- I want to be a person who saves money for retirement and travel
- I want to be a person who nourishes her physical and mental health
When I choose who I want to be, I can purposefully commit to my fitness.
2. Find mental health support
There are all types of mental health support.
Whether it’s finding an affordable therapy, group therapy, or simply joining a group activity, interacting with others is the best way to support your mental health.
If you’re looking for a therapist, I’ve heard some great things about BetterHelp.
3. Create a vision board
I personally love a vision board. There’s nothing more inspiring than seeing your dreams and goals on paper.
Get together a bunch of old magazines, sketches, anything you want, and create a board that reminds you what you’re working towards. Reserve a spot for your fitness goals and you’ll begin to accept fitness as a part of your lifestyle.
Just make sure you put the board up somewhere that you see on a regular basis!
4. Set positive and realistic goals
If you want to run a marathon, you don’t start by running 26 plus miles… you train in small steps.
Start with a tenth of a mile, then a quarter, then a half. It takes time, but splitting up your fitness journey into manageable workouts is the way forward.
5. Figure out exercise that works for you
Who cares if everyone you work with loves yoga? If you don’t like it, why would you make it part of your fitness lifestyle?
Whether it’s dance, jogging, running or pilates, choose exercise that’s enjoyable and accessible for your body.
6. Track your progress
It’s so motivating when you realize you’re running a mile faster than you were last week, or that you did pilates for a couple extra minutes than you did two days ago.
There are lots of apps out there that can track your exercise progress for free. Personally, I recommend Strava.
7. Prep your meals – and snacks!
Every Sunday afternoon I head home from wherever I am and I prep my meals and snacks for the week. I make sure to have at least five breakfasts, lunches, and dinners prepped before Sunday evening.
Don’t forget to prep your snacks too! Snacks always get left out the meal prepping routine.
8. Water up
Tired? Anxious? Irritable? Chances are you’re dehydrated.
You don’t need an expensive water bottle to drink more water. Just grab whatever you have (even if it’s just a plastic bottle), and carry it around with you.
9. Ask what your body needs versus what it wants
It’s tempting to reach for foods that lack nourishment when you’re stressed, tired or hungry.
Next time you find yourself doing that, remember to ask yourself what you’re body needs, not what it wants on a whim. When you do this, you’ll slowly start making decisions that your body appreciates.
10. Establish a morning and evening routine
Your morning and night routines matter. They set the tone to your day and your sleep.
There is no right morning or night routine. As long as you are nourishing your body and mind, you can’t go wrong.