We all want to live healthier lives and get bombarded with images every single day through Insta, Facebook, Twitter of people who seem to effortlessly achieve their fitness goals. What we don’t see is that it comes after a lot of hard work – and the hardest part is taking that first step. So what are you waiting for? Get up and get going with these manageable health and fitness tips that you can work into your everyday life. Remember, you’ll never regret starting – you’ll only regret not starting sooner.

Get rid of harmful habits

It is essential to get rid of negative habits when creating a healthy lifestyle for several reasons. First, negative habits can lead to health problems. For example, smoking cigarettes can cause lung cancer. Second, negative habits can also lead to financial difficulties. For example, gambling can lead to debt. Finally, negative habits can also impact your relationships with others. For example, substance abuse can damage your relationships with your family and friends, so consider this Outpacient Counseling program. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid harmful habits to live a healthy and prosperous life.

Find Ways to Exercise When You Can

We all know what it’s like to be stuff in an office all day, getting steadily more lethargic. Here are some ways you can improve your fitness and stay active, even if you’re in quite a sedentary job.

Try taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator up to the office.

When you’re sat at a desk, you can be rotating your ankles, or find other ways to keep active.

Rather than calling or emailing someone in the office, stand up and walk over to them.

Volunteer to do the coffee run.

Walk or cycle part of the way to work.

Don’t Give Yourself Obstacles

Gym too far away? Can’t be bothered to cook so do you find yourself reaching for Just Eat? Make healthy living the easiest way of living. If the gym is in an inconvenient location for you, try switching gyms. Otherwise, could you take up running or another activity which you don’t need to be at the gym for? You could also book onto classes which might give you the motivation you need to get up and go. It can be really difficult to motivate yourself at the gym, so a class with a professional instructor who will correct your technique and get to know you is an ideal way to rise to the challenge.

After a hard day at work, the idea of cooking a nutritious meal from scratch just doesn’t appeal. We feel you. There are a couple of ways round this though, to stop you opening up Deliveroo.

There are numerous healthy food boxes out there on the market. You get your ingredients already perfectly proportioned, so there’s no chance of nibbling on the grated cheese as you’re chopping. Many of them have nutrition information as well so you know exactly what you’re fuelling your body with. If you want a quick and easy way to cook healthily and from scratch, these really are the best way to do it.

Another option for you might be to batch cook. If the idea of spending hours over a stove after a long day at the office fills you with dread, dedicate some time over the weekend to cooking nutritious, one-pots that you can portion out and freeze so you’ve always got dinner close at hand. It’ll be on your table quicker than the Domino’s guy can make it out to you!

Sort Out Health Problems

If you found yourself turning the TV up every time you turned it on, you would test your hearing. If you were struggling to read signs from far away, you would go to the opticians. Why then are we all so slow to get to the doctors when there’s something wrong with our bodies that’s preventing exercise? A niggle in your ankle can turn into a much more serious health problem and lead to further injury if you don’t deal with it ASAP. Make sure you’ve got the right equipment before you start a fitness regime. There are many benefits to running, but if you’re doing it in the wrong trainers, it will lead to accident and injury. Kitting yourself out doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but it is the safest way to go about your routine.

Find a Buddy

The nights are getting longer and the days colder and shorter. The temptation to stay inside with Netflix and a glass of wine under a blanket has never been more appealing. But having an exercise or fitness partner will motivate you to keep going. Supporting them when they want to quit can be just as motivating as them supporting you. Encouraging and cheering them on through the peaks and troughs of getting fit can drive you on. One thing though – don’t complete with them for things like weight loss. Although you might want to talk about it, remember muscle weighs more than fat and you don’t want to feel dispirited by coming in second at a weigh in.

Hopefully the tips above will give you some motivation to hit your fitness targets and stay motivated and optimistic through the dark months. You got this!