Our health and fitness is incredibly important to our overall wellbeing, and yet only 20% of people now meet the CDC’s guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. Studies, like one done in 2012 by the British Medical Journal, have shown us that exercising regularly and eating right help women live five years longer and help men live six years longer. This has spurred more people on to fix their bad habits and get healthy, but many don’t know how to go about it the right way. Check out our top three tips to getting on track and staying on track with your health!


Small Steps


If you’ve never been very active and you haven’t really paid attention to what you’re eating, it may be difficult to jump right into something like a piyo nutrition plan and a sweat session every day. Rather than jumping in and quitting because you’re trying too much at once, consider changing things step by step. Then, you can get into more consistent habits a lot easier!


Be Consistent


Fitness plans only work when there is a level of consistency to them. You can’t eat two good meals a week and go to the gym every once in a while and expect to be fit overnight. You have to have a level of self-discipline and be able to consistently make good choices about your health. Even if you don’t have large blocks of time to set aside for exercise, for example, you can do little things for 10 minute blocks instead to hit your daily quota for activity.


Rewards


Even the top fitness programs can’t help you if you reward yourself with a good week with an awful weekend diet. Experimenting with rewards that don’t include food are integral to your success. You can even choose rewards that further your fitness goals, like splurging on a cute new workout outfit, or buying the more expensive sneakers. If that doesn’t work, consider allowing yourself a spa day, or maybe getting your nails done. There are plenty of rewards that won’t ruin your progress!


Will you be using any of these tips in your fitness plan? Which one do you think is the most helpful? Are we missing any that you use?