The key to your dream workout routine

There was a time in my life when I hated working out.【小题1】How is that so, you ask? Well, it wasn’t easy, but I found a couple of ways to make myself stick to a routine. So, if you’re trying to workout consistently, here are some tips.

Don’t push yourself too much, especially if you haven’t worked out in a long time or at all.【小题2】. Starting off too difficult often makes you lose motivation and could also lead to bad self-esteem. Start small, and then gradually increase intensity.

Stop convincing yourself that you don’t have time to workout. It doesn’t matter how busy your schedule is — you could take 10 minutes out of your day to take a walk around campus.【小题3】

【小题4】You could workout with friends or family, create a playlist to workout to, or watch your favorites show while working out. Try switching up the setting where you workout by taking a walk in the park or doing yoga on the quad — anything to get yourself excited to work out.

It’s okay to take a break. When you first start working out, it can be tough. I was getting all Sorts of aches and pains when I first started, and I often denied myself rest days because I felt like I always had to workout at the highest intensity. Please remember to take a break. Your body needs to reset.【小题5】

Sticking to a workout routine can be difficult but if you follow some of these tips, you may find that you’re able to work out more consistently.

Between school, homework, sports, your after-school job, and hanging out with friends, it may feel like there’s no time for healthy eating. And when you have time, you may simply eat snacks like potato chips.【小题1】In fact, if you have a busy schedule, it’s even more important to eat healthy foods that give you the energy you need to keep going.

【小题2】For example, you may feel hungry in a long afternoon of classes or during your swim meet. Knowing how much food your body needs to satisfy this hunger is important. A few walnuts(核桃) are great brain food before sitting down to do your math homework.【小题3】

Healthy snacking is important to you. During teenage years, the body needs more nutrients to grow. Snacks are a great way to satisfy your hunger and get all nutrients your body needs.【小题4】Do not eat foods with lots of added sugars like candy bars or soda. That’s because eating these foods may help you stop feeling hungry for a moment, but they are bad for your health in the long term.

Choosing healthy snacks means shopping smart.【小题5】We may find “all natural” on the side of a package but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s nutritious. For example, “all natural” juice drinks can be filled with sugar, which means they’ll make you fat easily and give you little nutrition.

How to Build Self-Control

Study after study confirms that if we just find the way to strengthen our self-control, our lives will become so much better. We can achieve our goals much easier. 【小题1】 You can learn how to improve self-control over time with practice.

Find a healthy distraction (分心). You’ll find it harder to avoid your desire if you simply sit and focus on it. Instead, recognize the desire and actively try to distract yourself with something else. This can help distract your mind from the desire and give you the space to truly decide if you want to act on that desire. 【小题2】 For example, you can cut paper, knit, make wooden toys or even text a friend.

【小题3】 Besides momentary distractions, you can actively try to replace the behavior you want to control with another positive one. For example, if you’re trying to stop spending money, you can develop the habit of walking in a green space where you won’t even have the opportunity to shop. Or if you’re trying to control overeating, you can develop the habit of doing sports when the desire arises.

Try breathing deeply. This suggestion can come in handy if you are trying to quit smoking. If you want to smoke, don’t immediately give in to the cigarette. 【小题4】 Remind yourself that smoking is not a necessity. Take the five minutes of breathing to imagine the desire slowly disappearing every time you breathe.

Make a list of the habits or behaviors you want to control. If people in your life have made suggestions about your habits, take those suggestions into consideration. 【小题5】 So listen to your intuition (直觉) and honor how you feel as well as feedback you have received from people in your life. You have to be committed to making change and building self-control in order to truly change your behaviors.