Skipping Meal Prep: If you’re serious about leading a healthier lifestyle, you simply can’t skip out on meal prep. Meal preparation at the beginning of the week can do wonders for your waistline and overall health.
By having your meals on hand, you can better avoid the temptation to make bad food choices during the day, and you can control the number of calories you consume each day. The simplest way to meal prep is to come up with 3-4 dishes in large batches and divide them into containers for each meal of the week.
If you aren’t much of a cook or don’t have time for meal prep, you can also use a meal prep company, which delivers you healthy meals every week that you just heat up in the microwave.
[Internal Link: Meal Prep in 4 Easy Steps]
Wasting Time at the Gym: If 2017 was all about #ReclaimingYourTime, then there is no time to waste during your workouts in the new year. From here on out, you will have a plan of action before you step foot into the gym. An easy way to plan out your workouts is to write down which parts of the body you want to work on, and then come up with 1 or 2 exercises to work those parts of your body.
You can use one day to focus on your lower body and write down exercises for your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and inner and outer thighs. Try to do 3 sets of 8-12 reps of every move on your plan.
If you need help planning your workouts before you head to the gym, you can talk to a personal trainer, or download a fitness app on your phone to walk you through various exercises for your trip to the gym.
Skipping Strength Training: Doing only cardio every day without any strength training is a…
… thing of the past. While cardio can help to burn calories, incorporating weights into your regular fitness routine can have many more lasting effects on your body. For instance, strength training builds more muscle, which speeds up your metabolism and helps you burn calories while at rest.
Strength training can also help to slow down the aging process and improve bone density. You should aim to get in at least 2 days of strength training every week to see the best results.
[internal link: Strength Training to Preserve Your Sexy]
Sacrificing Self Care: Putting your self on the bottom of your list of priorities is absolutely something that you should leave behind in 2017. Your physical and mental health is essential to being successful in all aspects of your life. In the new year, make a point to put yourself first by scheduling time for self-care with yoga, a massage, a brisk walk, or anything that helps you recharge. You’ll be better equipped to take care of everyone else in your life if you take care of yourself first!