Healthy Living • YMCA Health and Fitness
3 ways you can start your fitness journey right now
17 October 2016 - by Nicole Meredith
The hardest thing about getting healthy is getting started. Whether you’re reading this at your desk, from your couch, on the bus, or anywhere else, here are three things you can do literally right now, this very moment, to get yourself on the path towards a healthier, happier lifestyle:
1. Stretch out
Sitting at a desk — or sitting anywhere, really — is one of the worst things you can do to your body. Those of us with jobs that require us to sit for most of the day need to make an effort to counteract the negative effects. Right now, try one of these easy, inconspicuous stretches and exercises designed to be done while sitting. Then, set an alarm to go off in one hour, and do another one.
2. Schedule a workout
You might not be able to hit the gym right this second, but you can pull out your phone calendar or datebook and pencil in your next sweat session. Putting a workout in your calendar will help make you feel committed to actually doing it when the time comes.
3. Hide your treats
Research suggests you’re less tempted by snacks you can’t see. One study found that front-desk administrators who kept candy in clear containers snacked on it 71% more often than those with the same candy in opaque containers. Stuff your sugary sweets in your desk drawer, the back of your kitchen cupboards, or — if you’re feeling really ambitious — throw them out altogether.
Getting healthy is a long-term decision that requires lifestyle changes, not quick fixes. But that doesn’t mean healthy living is out of reach. In fact, people who take it one small step at a time are most likely to build sustainable habits that they stick to in the long run; those who try to do everything at once are more likely to get discouraged and give up. Trying any one of these three easy strategies today can put you on the right track for life.
1. Stretch out
Sitting at a desk — or sitting anywhere, really — is one of the worst things you can do to your body. Those of us with jobs that require us to sit for most of the day need to make an effort to counteract the negative effects. Right now, try one of these easy, inconspicuous stretches and exercises designed to be done while sitting. Then, set an alarm to go off in one hour, and do another one.
2. Schedule a workout
You might not be able to hit the gym right this second, but you can pull out your phone calendar or datebook and pencil in your next sweat session. Putting a workout in your calendar will help make you feel committed to actually doing it when the time comes.
3. Hide your treats
Research suggests you’re less tempted by snacks you can’t see. One study found that front-desk administrators who kept candy in clear containers snacked on it 71% more often than those with the same candy in opaque containers. Stuff your sugary sweets in your desk drawer, the back of your kitchen cupboards, or — if you’re feeling really ambitious — throw them out altogether.
Getting healthy is a long-term decision that requires lifestyle changes, not quick fixes. But that doesn’t mean healthy living is out of reach. In fact, people who take it one small step at a time are most likely to build sustainable habits that they stick to in the long run; those who try to do everything at once are more likely to get discouraged and give up. Trying any one of these three easy strategies today can put you on the right track for life.
