Starting a Healthy Habit

The question is, "HOW DO I START when I hate exercising?"

   

This was my biggest question before. 

I hated wearing rubber shoes (or any type of closed shoes)

I hated exposing myself under the sun

I hated the feeling of sweat trickling down my forehead.

The thought of sweaty clothes is just… YUCK!

That was me before I started running. I lived a sedentary lifestyle, PERIOD.

Everything changed when I just woke up one day, wore my old pair of sneakers and ran around the village basketball court and almost passed out!

(Read my story in Good Housekeeping Philippines Magazine June 2015 issue, to know more about it- See end of this blog entry for full story)

HERE ARE SIX TIPS (I hope could help you start a healthy habit):

1. START WITH BABY STEPS AND BE CONSISTENT

Photo from Pinterest

A big goal is definitely exciting.  But realistically, can you sustain it?

If you start with being too aggressive, chances are, you won’t be able to stick with it. We are trying to create a life-long healthy habit. Start with small goals then work your way up to larger goals.  If you have zero exercise, why not try to start with something really small, like – taking a flight of stairs each day or go walking twice or thrice a week for 15 minutes.  If you get bored with this, try walking and “light running / jogging” in between your walks. You can also try listening to your favorite fast song and dance to the music (it's not just exercise, it's also a good way to unwind - especially if it's an old track that brings back good memories).

It’s better to do something once or twice a week, than starting an exercise routine everyday then slide back once you get sick, or your schedule at work suddenly doesn’t permit you to exercise daily.

Remember, THE KEY IS CONSISTENCY.

2. STEP ON THAT SCALE

Photo courtesy of fitday.com

Why? If you want to lose weight then face it. How else would you know if you are gaining or losing weight if you don’t step on the scale? 

Make it a habit to weigh yourself regularly.  I mean, once, twice or even thrice a day.  It will only take a few seconds anyway. The frequency of weigh-ins make all the difference.  Personally, I think weighing yourself twice a day is best (one in the morning and one before going to bed).

3. CHOOSE WHAT YOU EAT

Photo courtesy of mealplanningyourway.com

Healthy eating doesn’t mean you have to follow “strict dietary restrictions” or depriving yourself from the food you love.  It’s about eating in moderation and proper portions. It’s always best to prepare your own meals but when you eat out, since serving sizes in restaurants vary –  try sharing with a friend or choose a starter instead of an entrée.

Of course, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is best since they are low in calories and are enriched with vitamins and minerals. 

If you have certain food cravings, I suggest you give in to them, but eat in moderation.  Instead of depriving yourself from that lechon kawali or that sinful chocolate cake, why not have a small bite. For instance, my greatest weakness is… Cheetos! I LOVE Cheetos…  (writing this blog alone made me feel like munching on a whole bag). What did I do? I opened the bag and got a few sticks… Alright, I ate 15 sticks of Cheetos J

TIP: Never skip breakfast – It is definitely the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism. 

4. DRINK LOTS OF WATER

Photo courtesy of motiveweight.tumbler.com

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! 

Yes, we’ve heard it. We know that water is good for the body. There are times when we think we are hungry, but it's just because we're thirsty. If we are dehydrated, our body feels tired and it thinks we need food for energy. So when we are adequately hydrated,we tend to eat less.

Drinking AT LEAST eight glasses of water really does wonders.

Here are just some of its benefits:

Relieves fatigue, improves mood, helps in digestion, flushes out toxins, helps energize muscles.
  

I just love water! I always bring a thermos with me wherever I go.  

5. MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS  

We all love taking selfies (whether you admit it or not). Taking selfies in your bathroom mirror doesn’t mean you have to post them on FB or IG.  Take lots of “personal consumption” selfies to track your progress.  Through selfies and the weighing scale, you’ll see whether you need to improve on the amount of exercise / be more conscious with your diet, or perhaps be amazed to see the positive changes in your body.

6. START TODAY 
(Yes, not tomorrow, not next week... TODAY!)

Photo courtesy of timemanagementninja.com

The first step is always the hardest.

Photo from pinterest

BONUS: Check out my simple core exercise (STANDING AB WORKOUT) at the bottom of the page, to get you started.

Here’s my story in Good Housekeeping Philippines last June 2015

Good Housekeeping Philippines June 2015 Issue
Photo courtesy of @ghphils Instagram account

Here’s a simple core exercise that could be a start - THE STANDING AB WORKOUT

Stand with your feet apart and keep your hands at your side 
(Please excuse our dog "Nimbus" behind me, he loves to walk around me when I'm exercising)

Reach for the side of your knee

Do three (3) sets of ten (10) reps on each side.

           

Since this is your first time, don't overdo it!

It's always better to start small and be consistent.  Then gradually increase the number of reps depending on how far your body needs to go…

Remember to ENGAGE YOUR CORE when you're doing this simple ab workout

Catch you later!