Setting realistic expectations
After you have embarked on your fitness routine, it's important to set some realistic expectations of the changes that will happen. Generally, your body will start cleaning on the inside before you see significant changes on the outside. If all you've done in the past few years is add clutter to your body and organs, then you need time to clean house and get organized. This happens physiologically by stabilizing glucose levels, triglycerides, etc. Your heart will get stronger so it doesn't have to pump as many times to circulate blood and oxygen. Stress will seem to decrease, since it will have an outlet to release built up tension. These benefits and may be hard to see, but easy to feel. And fortunately, how you feel changes almost immediately. Within three months you should start to see more outward signs such as centimeters and pounds lost, body fat percentage drop, as well as increased strength.
During the initial stages of a training or weight loss program you will need to do more work to ensure that you create a "negative" balance of calories when it comes to weight loss, or practice for your training technique. Where you start, the time put into yourself, and proper nourishment guide that outcome. After you reached your goals there is what they call a "maintenance" pace where you already have the strength and your metabolism is running optimally so there is not quite so much effort required. But notice, once your program is established, it can almost create a momentum of it's own. You may find you even like it! When it comes to fitness, one of the best parts is the journey, not the results. It's another way to love yourself and life. So keep taking those steps.
If you haven't yet, start by adding aerobic exercise on most days. Start paying attention to what you put in your body as fuel. I think we all know what to do. I would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't think movement is good for you, or that dark leafy greens are healthy. Most people that I see do not have the issue of ignorance, it's that commitment to themselves. If there's one thing to get behind, it's your body! You benefit entirely! When you decide to take full responsibility for your health then it's easier to make choices that are in alignment with your goals. It's not all work no play, it's empowering to take that responsibility. And that action will transfer to other aspects of your life too.
If you are finding that there are other factors affecting your journey or your hold out is you don't know where to begin, seek out the help that you need to help you. Whether it be a nutritionist for food, a doctor for joint pain or a trainer for learning proper technique and keep you moving. Take those steps now, the steps just get bigger the longer you wait.
