Health Kick Hit a Standstill? Here’s How to Get it Going Again

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We’re at that time of year when many of us are on a bit of a health kick. January when we feel guilty about Christmas overindulgence, and June/July, as we’re preparing for our summer holidays and worrying about fitting into a bikini are busy times for gyms and personal trainers. We all suddenly decide that we need to diet, get more exercise, and make other lifestyle changes that could help us to lose weight, look and feel better, and improve our fitness. 

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Health kicks tend to start well. We got in with great intentions and massive goals. We hit the gym hard and restrict our calorific intake. In the first few weeks, we can see the pounds drop off and notice real changes in both our bodies and our stamina. Then, it’s all too common for things to hit a standstill. The results stop coming or slow down drastically. You might even start falling back into old habits, and your muscles certainly won’t keep growing at the same rate. This can be demoralising, and when you get upset with your lack of progress, it’s all too easy to give up. But, that would be a mistake. You’ve worked so hard. Instead of giving up on your health kick, let’s look at some ways to get it back on track. 

Assess Your Progress

Early targets are often unrealistic. So, if you haven’t hit yours yet, it might be time to reassess, now that you can see how your body is changing. Ask yourself if you might already be where you want to be? And if progress has slowed because your body is where it needs to be. Look back at all that you have achieved, celebrate how far you’ve come and let yourself feel good about it. Then, decide if you want to carry on. 

Break Your Goals Down

If you still want to aim for that one big target, or you’ve set a new one, you might find it useful to break it down. Set smaller targets, like fitness goals, trying not to make them all about weight. This gives you more to aim for, and realistic targets that you can hit are significant confidence boosts and motivators. 

Educate Yourself

Most of us know so little about our health. Do you know what you should be eating and drinking? How much protein your body needs? Which exercises you should be doing to work the parts of your body that you want to change? Educate yourself, speak to a trainer, and learn to listen to your own body. Learn more about your own personal health and fitness, and you’ll be better equipped to make changes. 

Change Your Workouts

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Our bodies adapt. They get used to things. Those workouts that were productive weeks ago won’t have the same effects if you keep on doing them. You need to keep pushing your body, and to do this, you need to shock it with new workouts. Try different things, hit different muscle groups, and try classes and plans. Don’t stick to the same thing and wonder why it isn’t working for you. 

Add Some Healthy Snacks

Most of us just assume that the less we eat, the more weight we will lose. But, this isn’t usually the case, at least not long term. If you want exercise to improve your body and tone your muscles, you need to feed them. You won’t get the most out of exercise if you are starving yourself. If you’ve been restricting your calories, it’s time to add some healthy, high in protein and energy-boosting snacks. If you need extra help, you might find a protein supplement beneficial. 

Go to Bed Earlier

Staying up too late, or otherwise, not getting enough sleep can have a terrible effect on your health and fitness. Not getting enough sleep means that your body is never getting the chance to recover from the day. After exercise, this can mean that your muscles aren’t getting the opportunity to repair after a workout, which in turn means that they never start the next workout at their best. You will always be on the back foot. It’s also more tempting to eat unhealthy fast food when you are tired. So, if your health kick has hit a standstill, try going to bed a little earlier, and sticking to a sleep routine. 

Take a Break

Sometimes we push too hard. Occasionally, we get bored. Either add a day off to your schedule or take a complete break and have some fun. You’ll return feeling refreshed and ready to work hard.