How Can I Finally Start Working Out?
If you’ve pretty much been planted in the couch cushions since that candy binge in October all the way through New Year’s Eve cocktails, here’s how to start exercising and establish a fitness routine you’ll actually stick with.
If the only workout you’ve done over the past few weeks is beating yourself up for being lazy, it’s time to forgive and move on. We asked weight loss experts and personal trainers for their best advice on how to start exercising again after a lull. Here’s how to get up, establish a fitness routine, and stay motivated long past waning New Year’s resolutions.
In order to accurately track your progress, it’s helpful to identify your starting point and then define your goal. Straws suggests taking measurements of your body and some photos so you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come. Throw on a sports bra and shorts (or a bathing suit or whatever you feel comfortable using), then take a video with your smart phone to capture your body from all angles. You can turn the video into still photos by taking screen shots. Do this every two to four weeks to track your progress, Straws says. You might also want use a tape measure and track measurements in your biceps, waist, hips, bust, and thigh areas so you can see you’re losing inches, even on weeks when it seems the scale hasn’t budged.
Excerpted from Real Simple
