Fitness

Make small changes for big results

 ADAM SIMPSON

IF you have read my articles in the past, you would know that I am big on trying to develop healthy habits.

Creating healthy habits is what I believe is the key to getting in the best shape of your life and staying that way. But where should you start?

I think a great place to start, is to fi rst be honest with yourself. Pick one to two exercise/eating habits that you currently have that you know you could improve on. Below are some examples of habits I have seen over the years: • Drinking too many calories – whether that be alcohol, soft drink, highly processed juices etc. • Eating dessert and ‘treat’ type foods more often than you should • Not eating enough fruits and vegetables. • Not eating enough protein. • Eating take away foods too often. • Being inconsistent with your exercise. Note: There is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol or soft drinks, having dessert or eating take away food. The main issue is that people do this too often which leads to an over consumption of calories, causing a weight gain.

If you can pick one or two things from the list above or maybe you have something more relevant to yourself.

Keep things simple and just change those one to two habits for the next 28 days. Be super consistent and it shouldn’t be too long until you fi nd it truly easy to stick to your new plan.

Often the best weight loss plans are the simplest, if things are simple it’s much easier to stick to it. If you can keep at it for a long enough period of time, I guarantee you that you will get a result. Once you have formed these new habits, you can look to work on something else.

Often, I see people think they need to completely overhaul their life or follow a strict diet to get weight loss results. However, I don’t think this is a great long-term strategy.

If you are making too many sacrifi ces or your eating regime becomes too strict. You are going to be very unlikely to be able to continue to do this forever.

I have seen this all too often, once people stop their ‘new diet’ it is easy to slip back into old habits and regain any weight that may have been lost. Skip that hassle and just start working on your daily habits now, make small changes that you can stick to long term. As always, my message is the same. • Exercise more days than you don’t. • Try to include fruit and vegetables with most meals. • Limit the ‘treat’ type foods you eat, but never cut them out. • Eat a high-quality protein source with each meal. • Drink mostly water, but enjoy yourself when you want to.

Adam Simpson is lead trainer and founder at Repetitions Group fitness and Personal Training. Visit: www.repetitionspt.com.au