It’s time to come out with your arms swinging in 2017. There’s no need to label yourself as ordinary. We’re fortunate to live in an era where anybody can become exactly who they want to be as long as they can access the information and have the will to achieve their goals. When it comes to having a healthy physique, this couldn’t be more true. You don’t have to turn yourself into a gladiator, however if you want to be the best version of yourself, then you can easily achieve it if you have the right nutrition plan and access to the right equipment.
Start with an honest self-assessment
There is a line in Cool Runnings when one of the characters is told, “Look in the mirror and tell me what you see?” When you look in the mirror, do you see the person that you want to see? Do you see pride? Do you even see power? If you do, then that is perfect. You don’t need to do anything. But if not, identify what it is about yourself that you do not like and write down what you would like to change. Ask yourself questions like:
- Do you have too much body fat?
- Do you think that you look too skinny?
- Would you like to become more or less muscular?
- Would you feel comfortable going to the beach?
- Would you feel more confident if you changed my look?
Once you have done that, you need to take measurements of yourself. You will need to measure your weight and body fat.
Set realistic goals that you can achieve
Many people fall off the bandwagon because they set unattainable goals, which cause them to lose motivation. If your goal is to lose weight, then set realistic milestones such as losing at least 2kg per month. Andrea Cespedes published on the blog Livestrong that it is possible to lose 1kg of fat per week, however the person needs to maintain a calorie deficit of 7,700. This means a person would need to maintain a calorie deficit of 1,100 calories per day, which can be achieved through cardiovascular exercise and a low-carb diet. Alternatively, if you are looking to gain muscle size, you can add 1-2kg per month with the right exercise plan.
Formulate a plan
You need to implement a strategy that will allow you to achieve your physical goal. To succeed, your strategy will focus on your nutrition, calorie surplus or deficit, cardiovascular activity and resistance training. A great resource to read is, “Burn the fat, feed the muscle.”
A simple plan is to make sure your calorie deficit is around 500 calories or more per day. This will be achieved by monitoring the food and drinks that you consume, the amount of cardiovascular activity that you do with cardio equipment and the amount of resistance weight training that you will do. You can look at a list of these exercises to help you accomplish your fitness goals.
Stick to a plan that works for you over the long-term
You should have a long-term plan with short-term goals and that fits into your lifestyle so it doesn’t feel like a chore. This will help you keep your motivation and you should be able to see the visible changes to your physique during your program.
The choice is yours. Whether you want to accomplish your fitness goals in the comfort of your own home or whether you would like to accomplish them at a gym or in a social environment, it can be done and it is easier than you think. Focus on your goals and stick to a winning plan.