Ahh, January…,
New year, new me, right? We all promise ourselves that, on January 1st, we’ll start working out more and eating healthier — except it never really ends up that way, does it? It’s hard to stay motivated to exercise for long periods of time, especially when you don’t like exercising. I’m here to help you out; since I came to Clemson in August, I’ve lost around fifteen pounds, and I now look forward to going to the gym every day! I’m here to share a few tricks with y’all so you can actually stick to your New Year’s resolution this upcoming year.
First of all, I have a couple of apps to share with you guys. Don’t worry, they’re both free because we’re all broke out here and can’t afford to spend $30 a month on an app.
App #1: MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is an app that will help you stick to a healthier diet. When you download it, it’ll ask you some questions about yourself, your goal weight, etc., and based on your answers, it’ll tell you approximately how many calories you should be eating a day. This app can also track your weight over time, so you can see a chart that clearly depicts your progress. It can track your calories burned at every workout you do. All in all, this app is awesome! There is also a premium version that you can try for free for thirty days, and it becomes even more specific in tracking your diet. While trying out this premium version, I actually lost a lot of weight! So if you’re broke like me, give it a try.
App #2: FitOn
FitOn is a free app with tons of exercise videos made by professional trainers specifically for women. It also asks you for some information about you and your goals, and based on your answers, it’ll give you a group of videos for you to follow along with that week. On top of this customized training schedule, it also features challenges so you can try out videos for any kind of workout that you find interesting, and you can also invite your friends to work out with you on the same video! This is the only app like this that I’ve found that is 100% free, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Other Tips & Tricks
Great, now you have some resources to help you get started! But how do you stay motivated? I feel like this is the main problem for anyone who wants to start taking their fitness more seriously, and it’s a problem I fully understand and relate to. To be honest, I’m motived by both seeing my weight loss and tracking it on MyFitnessPal. It’s really motivating to know that, even if you can’t see a physical difference yet, you are making a difference in your body and your health.
Another thing that’s kept me going is making working out a part of my routine. It’s hard to work out every day, but if you can squeeze in even a ten or twenty-minute workout into your day, you’re getting your mind used to it and making it a habit. What’s truly difficult then isn’t so much the working out itself because you’re making it a habit. When you make it a habit and go to the gym at least a couple of times a week and keep track of what and how much you’re eating, that’s when you notice a difference: a mental difference. You’re getting mentally stronger, pushing yourself every time you go to the gym, and feeling a physical difference. This is what makes it fun! Becoming stronger — mentally and physically — is such an addicting feeling, and it’s so motivating.
So don’t wait until the new year, start today! Your future, stronger you will thank yourself, trust me.