3 “Eureka!” Moments to Feel Proud of Your Progress
Setting fitness goals for yourself and finding the motivation to regularly hit the gym is exciting. However, results will take a little time to start to show, so don’t let yourself become discouraged if you aren’t seeing them as quickly as you’d like. Instead of becoming discouraged and impatient, take a look these reassuring aspects that will restore your fitness motivation along the way:
Eating Healthier is the Most Important Step to Fitness
It can feel discouraging when you first start working out and can’t run as far or as long as you‘d like to. That’s when it’s good to remember that eating healthy is even more important in order to reach your fitness goals.
You know you’re getting healthier when you discover that you’ve started incorporating more fresh vegetables, fruits and meats into your diet. They say bodies are “made in the kitchen and maintained in the gym,” and this statement could not be truer! You could exercise vigorously every day and would not see the results you want if your diet is poor. Eating healthy in combination with exercise will help you reach your fitness goals faster.
Before & After Photos Can Boost Your Self Esteem
One of the reasons people stop exercising is that they don’t see immediate results without realizing that those results take time and are small. The rule of thumb is that it takes 4 weeks of hard work in order for you to see your own body changing, 8 weeks for your friends and family to notice, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world.
When you begin your workout regimen and have your goals set in place, take photos of yourself in the mirror. Over the course of the next few weeks, continue to take these photos in the same outfit and position. You’ll begin to notice the smaller changes in your body that may not be obviously apparent when just looking in the mirror every day.
You Feel Better Physically & Mentally When Exercising
While the outside results are the most exciting for us to witness, what happens on the inside of our bodies when we exercise is extremely important as well. When you begin exercising regularly and taking care of your body, it starts to behave differently. You may notice that you:
- Sleep better throughout the night
- Have more energy during the day
- Experience less aches and pains in general
- Think more clearly
- Are happier or more content
It’s helpful to know that while you may not be seeing physical results as quickly as you’d like, you still are making a beneficial difference for your body and your life overall. So get out there and work towards feeling better all-around!