Gone are the days when everyone was working hard to get their things done. There was no new technology before the industrial revolution, making people rely more on their physical characteristics to do work. Though it took a long time to complete their work, at least it made them stay fit. Modern technologies made our lives much more comfortable than ever before. But the changes made in our lifestyle resulted in other issues like being overweight, not staying fit, and so on. Fitness is associated not only with fighting against obesity but also helps in rejuvenating our body with energy. Let us dive deeper to know more about this in detail.

What is fitness?

“The ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies”. It is the definition of fitness given by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). True to its word, fitness doesn’t stick to lifting heavy weight effectively. It is a state of well-being, and standard components of fitness include the following.  

• Body Composition 
• Muscular Strength
• Cardiorespiratory fitness
• Flexibility
• Muscular Endurance

What is Exercise?

Exercise could be of any physical activity that is structured, planned and done over and over again. It is a part of physical activity intended to improve the component of fitness. Now, one could understand the relation between fitness and exercise. All studies have shown that exercising or repeatedly doing physical activity may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases to a greater extent. Therefore, it increases the longevity of an individual. Exercise has bestowed with numerous benefits such as improved blood circulation, increased energy levels, lowering stress, weight loss and so on. So, one can understand the buzz for exercising.

Staying Motivated:

At times, people lose the motivation to carry forward their workout because of several reasons. It could be of either a hard training or lack of proper exercising schedule. Sometimes, the pain could be a factor for staying off the track. Ultimately, these things result in losing interest. Listening to music at the workout place or reading some quotes could help us to get the fire. But then there are so many methods to help us stay motivated. Let us see some of the common motivation science-based techniques followed.

Easier Fitness Goal:

Most of the people often set a vigorous workout goal at the initial phase itself, detrimental to both body and mind. One should understand that it is not possible to attain all the goals in a single night. The progress should always be steady. So, keeping the goals simple should be the first and foremost thing to do. As we start achieving these goals, this itself becomes a driving force to go forward to the next level. So, always keep the goals short and simple.

Workout Partner:

For people who needs motivation then and there, having a workout partner could be beneficial. Studies have found having an active partner could help both of them to achieve their workout goals. One could help the other facing the problem, arrange tiny challenges among them to attain the goals. Socialising at the workout place could help us to find the best partner. 

Step aside from the expectations:

People must not look for improved physical appearance as it always takes a longer time to achieve those goals. It is because one would start giving up when they fell short of reaching those (say, six-pack abs). So, its better to stick on to smaller goals like five per cent weight loss, proper push-ups. Appreciate once attaining it and then keep upgrading to the next stage. This steady pace will help people to achieve satisfaction for their efforts put and thus helps in motivating themselves. Do let others know about the achievements, for instance, the coach, and be proud.  

Leveraging Social media:

An excellent social competition on fitness and exercises and tagging others to follow suit have found to reap the desired benefits. University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication’s report found that healthy support from the social platform could motivate people for more workouts. Social media could help us in making accountable for our goals and ensures that we stay on track.

Rewarding oneself:

Rewarding oneself after achieving a goal is vital for motivation. The rewards can be either internal or external. Internal compensation includes complementing oneself after reaching the target. External reward includes buying new or favourite gear for the workout. These things would further boost us to go forward in achieving our long-term goals. 

At the same, making oneself accountable is essential to keep going. One must think of the ill-effects of not doing exercise while feeling low and make our body and mind to start working out again.

Reasons for Workout:

At times, the body becomes drained due to a heavy workout. So, it is okay to take a short break. During those times, think about the reasons for beginning this type of exercise. Recollect the causes on which you wish to improve and the factors behind it. Reading out these reasons for achieving it could make anyone stay motivated and get back to work.

Overview:

Exercise is for a healthy way of living. It doesn’t need to be hard. Making it fun and having optimistic thoughts about workout could help us to stay motivated. In case you require support, do not hesitate to find a workout partner to sort it out. Keep reviewing the tips when you feel like going off the track. Have a track chart to know about the progress and plan accordingly to achieve the goals.