Your eating routine and fitness goals go hand-in-hand. It’s important to consider those goals while taking food personality and eating style into account as well.
Some of us function at an optimal level at different times of the day than others.
And, of course, not all our fitness goals are alike. Some of us have goals for an overall improvement in physical performance, weight loss, or cardiovascular health, while others may need healing and rehabilitation from an illness or disease.
Either way, here are 8 tips to build a sustainable routine around it that is more pragmatic and has longevity.
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How to know what is right for you:
1. Build it around what you enjoy doing physically
Even if you’re exercising in a group, you’re still on your own in terms of staying consistent and showing up every day for it.
So it may as well be something that you can tolerate both physically, mentally and emotionally. If not, you’re guaranteed to reject it at some point.
You know the cliché, ‘do something you love’. The truth is, half of the effort will feel effortless because of it.
2. Don’t do it because it’s trending
You’ll either feel the pressure to keep up or once the trend fades, chances are your interest in it will too.
3. Exercise is a mental game
If you don’t know what you like off hand, make a list of past activities where you did it without getting mentally tired of it.
Exercise is a mental game. When your mind is into it, then your body will follow suit.
4. Eating style
Think about your daily eating style. Build your exercise regimen around the way you eat naturally or by way of a self-implemented eating style.
Equally relevant to a fitness routine is to know what times of the day are your best times for fuelling up.
For example, when are you most hungry and likely to have a big appetite? Use this as an opportunity to load up on fitness nutrition and really max it out here.
Of course, don’t use it as an opportunity to binge eat. Swap that out for healthy, nutritional foods and ingredients. Ones that will fuel you during the day as well as during your workouts.
5. Morning ‘personality’
If you’re not a 5:30 am workout type, then that’s ok. Perhaps you’re someone that prefers a quiet wake-up call and an easy breakfast.
6. Optimising
If you’re a slower starter in the morning, this can be a great alternative as you can load up on healthy foods while taking your time.
It can prepare you for exercise later in the morning when you don’t have to worry about eating too early or hurriedly. The latter usually results in having to carb-load immediately after exercise – always an opportunity to binge eat.
So, perhaps avoid that altogether and try a late morning or afternoon fitness routine instead.
7. Intuition
Trust your intuition, and listen to what your body tells you and when.
All forms of exercise are beneficial for heart health and that even includes a gentle, but brisk walk around the promenade, park or beach. As long as you’r getting 20 minutes or between 2-4km of walking in per day, it will make all the difference.
The added benefits of exercise – even the low impact kind – is it’s effect on your general mental health for example, stress and the everyday pressures of urban life.
8. Goals
If it’s weight loss you’re after, then eating alkaline, anti-inflammatory foods, coupled with cardio and toning exercise is sufficient.
Conclusion
If you find yourself addicted to unhealthy cravings – ones that may be compromising your fitness goals – there’s no better opportunity to make a healthy swap. Download my FREE Guide for Healthy Craving Swaps, it’ll inspire you.
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*cravenutritionalcooking.com does not give medical advice. Where there is reference to it, the phrasing is merely used to illustrate a point or give context to food and cooking for nutrition information. It is not related to a specific condition or to any specific individual. Always consult your healthcare professional for medical and dietetic advice before embarking on any type of eating plan or ingesting nutritional supplements.
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