8 Tips for Getting Fit and Staying Healthy Throughtout the Year Without Becoming Obssessed

A Beginner’s Guide to Getting in Shape

You woke up today and looked in the mirror.

And you said to yourself, “Gosh darnit (or #$^@  $#@$@%), I’m going to get in shape!”

Just one problem – you don’t quite know HOW.

It’s okay; we’ve all been there!

This might be the first, tenth, or the fiftieth time you’ve tried to lose weight and get healthy. Sure, things didn’t work last time, or the time before that, or even the time before that…”but things are going to be different THIS time,” right?

So you hop on the internet, search “how to lose weight,” and see 7.8 billion websites that promise you fast results with minimal effort.  You get overwhelmed, intimidated, and then go back to playing Modern Warfare 3 or Hello Kitty 2: Island Adventure.

If you’re overwhelmed at the idea of how to get in shape, I hear ya.

From bootcamps to crossfit to weight watchers to paleo to vegan to Klingon, how are you supposed to make sense of all this information to find the right path? The truth is that there is no ONE path that works for everybody. You’re a unique snowflake (your parents were right), which means what works for somebody else might not work for you, and vice versa.

I’ll dig into the general do’s and don’ts of getting in shape with today’s article, but if you’re really overwhelmed to the point that you just can’t get yourself to get started, consider checking out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. You’ll get to work with a Nerd Fitness Coach who gets to know you better than you know yourself, and handcrafts a workout routine and nutritional plan that is tailor-made to your situation. You can learn more about our coaching program by clicking on the image right here:

Now, outside of our coaching program, we also have a TON of free resources that you can use to follow and help you get off on the right track! You can read our overall philosophy below (which has helped hundreds of thousands of people), and help you get started today!

Get your act together

First and foremost, today is the first day of the rest of your life!

So let’s get started.

Think back to the last time(s) you tried to get in shape and lose weight.  How successful were you?  What made you fall off the wagon?

Congratulations, you already know what “get in shape” method doesn’t work for you.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Unless you’re insane, don’t try to get in shape the same way you did last time…it’ AIN’T gonna work!

If you counted calories, ran on a treadmill, did kickboxing, tried starving yourself, or whatever, and you’re not happy with the results, it’s time to try something new.

May I recommend the Nerd Fitness method of success: the Triforce of Winning!

Well, I just came up with that title, but now that’s what I’ll call it henceforth.  If you want to succeed at changing your life, you need three things:

Education: know HOW to get in shape
Inspiration: know WHY you’re getting in shape
Support: having others help you along the way to get in shape

If you can successfully combine these three crucial pieces, then you’ll defeat Ganon and save Hyrule have a fightin’ chance at getting in the best damn shape of your life.

Education

1) Pick goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely). Be incredibly specific with your goals so that you can actively plan what steps are needed to achieve those goals:

I’m going to lose 20 pounds this year by going to the gym 3 times per week for the next 6 months and eat one more vegetable per week than I did the week before.
Alternatively, if you somebody that NEVER succeeds at your goals, instead try making a new habit every 30 days…put the focus on the habit and not the goal.

For example, “I’m going to start walking to Mordor by walking a mile every day for a month. If I go for a walk, I win.” Keep it simple

Whichever method you decide, it’s important to be deliberate in your actions:

If you are setting goals – be SUPER SPECIFIC, write them down, and plan them out.
If you are making new habits – add them to your calendar, set phone alarms or alerts, and do them EVERY DAY.

Understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Optimus Prime didn’t transform in one move.  This is NOT a diet, or a quick fix, but a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.  Don’t expect overnight results, or abs in two weeks.  Slow, steady progress.

2) Identify your kryptonite.  If you tried to get in shape in the past and failed, it’s important to know WHY.  Did you get sick and give up after a few days?  Did you go on vacation and say “why bother?”  Maybe you just got bored?  If you sucked at getting in shape last time, educate yourself on the hurdles and kryptonite that made you suck, and work on either avoiding those pitfalls or develop methods to deal with them.

3) Clean up your diet.  Believe it or not, 80% of your success when it comes to getting healthy will depend on your diet – unless you are running marathons on a daily basis, you cannot outrun your fork, and you can’t out-train a bad diet.  I honestly cannot stress the importance of this enough.  Whether you want to count calories, cut out certain foods, or attempt a new diet all together, this is the most important step you can take:

Start here: How to eat healthy – yes, it’s a long read.  But it covers the basics and teaches you what to eat and not to eat.
The Beginner’s guide to the Paleo Diet – my preferred nutritional strategy of choice.  Not for everybody, but it works.
Short on money?  How to eat healthy without breaking the bank.
Now, most people suck at eating better because they try to make TOO many changes at once, their stomach freaks out and they run back to their comfort foods.

My advice?  Pick one food change every few weeks, and stick with it.  Whether it’s eating less calories per day, drinking one less soda, eating more vegetables or cooking your own meal once a week…small changes can lead to big successes in the long run.

I know how changing your diet can be overwhelming sometime, and sticking with changes in the long term is really tough. It’s why we built a 10-level NF Diet that tells you exactly how to transition your diet slowly so you can lose weight the right way and transform your physique permanently!


READ MORE at https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/get-in-shape/