First of all, what does it mean for your fitness journey to be sustainable? Creating a sustainable fitness journey means you are creating a routine that you are going to be able to maintain for a longer period of time. This routine should be working towards some kind of fitness goal that you hope to achieve. Your fitness journey needs to be sustainable so that you avoid becoming burnt out, overworking yourself, and not pushing yourself too far too quickly.
In order to create a sustainable fitness lifestyle, you’re first going to have to set realistic goals. It’s okay to have crazy fitness goals for the future, as long as you acknowledge that it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get to that point. Having smaller, more achievable goals as you go will help to keep you motivated. Achieving these goals will give you the sense of accomplishment to persevere.
Another helpful hint to creating a sustainable fitness routine is keeping a log of what’s working and not working. Write down how you felt after the workout, what muscles were sore, and how you see your body changing over time. Tie these in with your goals to see whether they are matching up. If you’re noticing in your log that something isn’t working the way you want it to, change it! We are in this for the long haul, so being open to adapting is very important.
Many people find exercising more fun with a buddy. Try working out with a group of friends, or joining a class at your local gym. It’s important to enjoy the exercise you’re doing, so that you want to keep doing it! While you do need to find the right balance between pushing yourself and taking care of yourself mentally and physically, if you’re having fun you are more likely to want to continue and incorporate it into your everyday life.
Keep in mind that drastic results won’t come about quickly and easily. You will need to work hard at changing unhealthy habits in your life, to create a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Don’t let a lack of results, in the beginning, discourage you from pushing on. Remember those goals that you’ve set for yourself, and have faith that with consistent work you’ll get there!