Exercise is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it’s not always easy to motivate yourself to hit the gym or go for a run. It can also be frustrating if you’re not seeing the results you want as quickly as you’d like. It’s important to remember to be patient and that this is more about being healthy than hitting a target weight or dress size. If you’ve been struggling to keep up with your workouts recently, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of them and get back into the habit.

Fuel Up

Firstly, make sure your body has enough energy to workout in the first place. A good night’s sleep is important, but you should also be eating the right things before your workout if you want to get more out of it and push yourself. Plenty of carbs and protein is the right fuel for your body to engage in strenuous physical activity and work up a sweat. Things like oats, bananas, chicken and whole grains are all good examples.

Set Goals

If you want to stay motivated, set yourself some realistic exercise goals to stick to. This can be anywhere from how often a week you’re going to work out, how long for (30-40 minutes is recommended), or running an extra mile. It’s good to ease yourself into exercise if you’re not used to regular workout routines, but remember to gradually start to push yourself over time so you don’t begin to plateaux and your body gets stronger.

Warm-up and Recover

There is nothing worse than waking up the morning after a workout to find you’re aching all over. This is why it’s crucial to make sure you’re doing warm-up exercises and stretches before you get into the main part of your workout and that you’re warming down too. If you suffer from arthritis or tendonitis, try working out with support to ease the pain. For example, you can use a special thigh compression support like this one from Bearhug if that’s an area that causes you problems, or you can get one for your elbow or wrist. You should also think about having a warm bath after a workout to help your muscles relax.

Stay Hydrated

Never workout without a bottle of water nearby, otherwise you will find yourself struggling to keep up or could make yourself feel sick. It’s essential to stay hydrated when you’re doing rigorous exercise, as you’ll be losing a lot of water from your body as you sweat. Staying hydrated will also help you keep your energy levels up and to focus on your work out goals.

Try Different Things

If you’re finding yourself growing bored of your usual routine, try different exercises to mix things up. This will help you to keep motivated and enjoy your workouts, as well as strengthening different parts of your body rather than just focusing on one or two areas.

It’s important to do regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, so if you’re looking for new motivation or want to get more out of your workouts, use these tips above as a place to start.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post, and the author’s views here do not necessarily reflect those of His & Hers Magazine.

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