You know you need to get it together. You eat whatever you want, sit around and watch tv all day, skip breakfast, fuel up on caffeine, barely workout, and try to survive off of just a few hours of sleep. These bad habits might not seem like a big deal but it’s starting to take a toll on you. You’re drained, can’t manage your weight, and there are days you just don’t feel like yourself. You want to get on the right track, but every time you try, something holds you back.
Why is it that as beneficial as it can be to live healthier that it takes people a long time to get on board and maintain these lifestyle changes? There are a number of factors you might consider such as these reasons listed below:
You’re Setting the Bar Too High
Yes, you can do anything you set your mind to, but it has to be done within reason. You wouldn’t expect a nurse to know how to draw blood if she hadn’t first trained for it, or a pilot to fly a plane who’s only used a simulator in the past. Similarly, you can’t expect that you will automatically ditch all your old habits and adopt new ones overnight. Set realistic goals that provide a small challenge, but don’t make it impossible.
You’re Not Varying Your Exercise
Have you reached a plateau when it comes to your fitness goals? Perhaps you’ve been running and lifting weights every other day for the past month. You started seeing real progress, but suddenly it stops. You’re not losing any more weight and to be quite honest, you’re getting frustrated. The problem is you’re not varying your exercises. Your body gets used to doing the same thing pretty quickly so you need to challenge yourself regularly. If all you’ve been doing is lifting weights, find some pilates grip socks for sale and join a pilates class or take yoga to improve flexibility and range of motion.
You’re Stressed Out
Did you know that even if you’re dieting and exercising regularly if you’re under a lot of stress it can have an impact on your health and fitness goals – particularly your weight? Stress can actually impact your weight in a lot of ways. As the stress hormone is known as cortisol increases in the body, it can alter your metabolism, increase cravings for unhealthy food items, raise your blood sugar levels, and cause the body to store that stubborn fat in the belly and around the waistline. Your best bet is to get rid of as much stress as you can. Whether that’s learning to say no, practicing meditation, getting rid of toxic relationships, talking to a therapist, delegating more at work, or finding a better work-life balance, it can greatly improve your chances of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
There’s Something More Serious Going On
Unfortunately, if you’re eating a well-balanced diet, varying your exercises (while working out 3-5 times a week), reducing your stress levels, getting enough sleep, and eliminating bad habits, but you still haven’t seen much progress in your ability to get healthier, lose weight, or get fit, there could be something more serious going on. You should schedule an appointment with your doctor so that they can rule out things like diabetes, thyroid problems, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions that can affect your health. Whether you have something more serious or not, knowing is a lot better than not knowing as you can create a plan to improve your condition as well as your health.
Most people know why it’s important to put your health first. They also have the basic steps on how to get it done. Yet, there are several factors that could be preventing them from putting their best foot forward. From setting the bar too high and failing to vary your workouts to dealing with a ton of stress and other medical conditions you weren’t aware of, there’s so much that could be holding you back from being the best version of yourself. Start checking these off one by one and if you don’t see a difference after a few weeks, schedule an appointment with your doctor to find out more.
