By There are many things you can do to stay in shape or create the body shape you want. First up, you need some guidance, patience and commitment to keep going with the task at hand. There are times you will be uncomfortable, and there are times when you will feel great. The journey is an endless wave of emotions – both high and low. They come with the territory and please don’t worry, as eventually, you will find your feet.
Four simple ways to stay in shape
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Weight train – I put this as the number one strategy because it is. Weight training has the potential to transform your body fast wholly. There are many reasons why lifting weights works for anyone of any age. Suppose you execute the movements correctly and are consistent. I recommend training with weights 3–4 times per week. Perhaps invest in a personal trainer to help you set up your schedule and show you how to perform the proper exercise.
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Tip: Focus on multi-joint movements the most. They are lunges, squats. Pull-ups and bench presses. These exercises are powerful because they use the most muscle groups on your body to perform them. What does that mean for you? It means you work more muscles and burn more body fat. Plus, you shape your body faster because of the number of muscles you’re using.
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HIIT – this is performing a sprint burst of 20 seconds and then resting for 30 seconds. You do this sequentially for about 20 minutes at a time. The result is losing body fat and building some muscle in the process. Although this isn’t as powerful as weight training, HIIT can burn a lot of body fat. You should schedule HIIT 2 times per week for the best results. I always use HIIT when I want to cut somebody fat for an event or function. I always say that it’s unnecessary unless you have a substantial amount of body fat to lose. If you don’t need it, save your energy for weight training and move onto point number 3.
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Walking – This is my favourite exercise. It’s low impact, relaxing, and I get to spend time listening to motivational and inspirational books. I love to take my dog for a walk as often as possible, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. There is nothing like a walk after something stressful happens during your day, or when you need a break from some form of energy. Walk as much as you can, for the time you can do so. It’s well worth the effort. (not to mention the fat-burning potential too!)
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Cycling – Cycling is excellent for building and strengthening your leg muscles, as well as your core. I was never one to venture outdoors with a bike but loved the spin bikes in the gym. Using them to perform HIIT is a great option. Try to be upright for as long as possible to get the best fat burn out of your session. It would help if you aimed for those relaxing bike rides too. They play a part in shaping your body again. Do aim for some more intense bike rides, to increase your heart rate and transform your body. I love cycling.
Above all else, don’t forget to pay close attention to your diet. A training schedule or endless cardio can never out-train a bad diet. That’s the one thing you should be super strict with for the long term. That doesn’t mean to say you should go on a calorie-restricted diet. I won’t go into a lot of detail because it’s an entirely different topic. If you stick to whole, natural foods, then you are on the right track.
I hope you found this article helpful and I would love you to upvote it if you did. Please also join me on my various social platforms and do go ahead and download your new year’s resolution pack – which has seven days of free nourishing recipes. I’m on Facebook too. If you want to become part of my new, private intermittent fasting group, please join my Facebook page to receive a notification when it’s launched.