(Pre) Workout Tips

Here are some workout tips that have nothing to do with the actual working out process. These are more mentality guidelines so as to make the workout… work.

1.  Have a talk…

Before deciding that you are going to work out on Friday for 10 hours straight, so you can shed the extra weight off by Monday, set a realistic goal. Have “a talk” with your body and work with it and not against it; if anything you guys are in this together. What I mean is, cutting your previous lifestyle cold turkey will probably not work. You are the best judge to tell what type of dieting, exercising etc. works for you, so this is a great chance to consciously take into consideration how your body works in terms of food, diet, sleep, energy and whatnot and decide how to best reach your goal. Also, don’t set unhealthy goals, like losing too much weight or following a workout routine that might be unsuitable for you. You should want to get fit and toned for yourself and not to fit other people's expectations.

2. My way… 

How it goes down when I think I "should" work out in the morning

Integrate your workout routine into your lifestyle. If you’re not a morning person, waking up at 6am to run for two hours before having to go to work at 9am, because someone said that working out in the morning is better is not such a good idea. For as long as I can remember, I have never worked out in the morning in my life, because when I don’t have class or work, I use the morning for sleeping. So, if you have free time during another part of the day, use it. Between classes, during your lunch break, after you get home from work… or the morning :P Also, choose a type of workout that fits you: Pilates, running, yoga, spinning class, boxing; there are so many ways to work out and do something you find fun at the same time. Otherwise, you won’t feel like working out and will come up with a million excuses not to do it. 

3. Vice is its own reward…

  

An unhealthy diet can of course be the reason why the gym is your number one New Years’ resolution. And usually losing weight is associated with living off of water and tree leaves. Not really… You don’t need to be unhappy while you’re sweating on the treadmill, just a little more careful about what you eat. Think about what foods make you happy (like, truly happy): I doubt its junk food. So, cut out things that make you feel heavy and tired and with no energy. But don’t stop eating the (even slightly unhealthy) foods that you did enjoy. And in the process of changing your eating habits you will discover foods you hadn’t thought of before that are healthy and absolutely delicious!

 

When I decided to make a conscious effort to eat better and systematically work out (after a diet of burgers, pizza and what I think was burritos on steroids), I stopped eating all the things I would eat to just not starve and actually started to think about what I would like to eat and even learned how to cook a few of my favorite recipes.  However, chocolate spreads, and especially Nutella, make me very happy... and I didn’t want to give up on my favorite vice. I still enjoy a few tablespoons of Nutella – just not every day!

4. Think Oysters

There are certain foods that have been linked with creative and happy people and the number one on that list is oysters. What I mean is that you should be happy and creative with your weight loss or journey to getting more fit and healthy! It won’t happen overnight but if you start this with a positive attitude and an enjoyment of your everyday life, you won’t look at food and think of calories. And if your body asks for junk food, give it what it wants as a treat for working out every day this week! Don't think that one slip has ruined everything - if your body was asking for junk food, it means you needed it! And think of food as something good; it helps to think of what you’re eating as an aid in your weight loss as oppose to an obstacle. And in the process of figuring out what helps your body, you will change the negative things and replace them with positive ones!

When the trend is to count calories even in your sleep, it's easy to feel like you're committing some sort of crime, when all you're doing is eating everything in moderation - and enjoying it while you're at it!

After all, happy people eat not because they need to for survival but for the enjoyment of eating.

Also, take care of yourself in other ways. You might not fit into a size “perfect” yet or look as toned as you would like in order to hit the beach, but that’s not all you’re about, right? Buy yourself a book if you like them or new clothes (that might not be your desired size but they still look nice on you), go out with your friends for a drink or to the movies. Like I said before, don’t let working out restrict your life, it should be fitting into yours!

Good Luck!!

*S