Exercise – it can be a scary word. If my fitness journey has taught me anything, it’s that finding what workouts are right for you takes time.
I began my path to fitness in high school. I had always been athletic (playing soccer, track, and lacrosse) and wanted to keep that mentality heading into college. Well, things didn’t go as planned and I ended up gaining unwanted weight freshman year. DISCLAIMER – GAINING WEIGHT IS TOTALLY FINE AND NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. However, I personally didn’t feel like myself in that state.
I decided I wanted to get back on the grind and really push myself, and that’s just what I did. Since freshman year I have lost around 30 pounds in a completely healthy way! I have done research, tried multiple fit guides, and have even created my own.
I wanted to use this gained knowledge, and spread it to the readers of Her Campus!
1. I know girls everywhere struggle with body image, but the first step in seeing a difference is learning to love your body exactly as it is at any size or shape (Hello, self-love anyone?)
2. You won’t see changes right away. Transformation takes time, effort, and making healthy habits. Give yourself some time to adjust to your new healthy lifestyle!
3. Now that you are beginning your healthy life style there are some food tips to keep in mind. If you want to lose weight, eat a deficit of 500 calories per day. If you want to gain muscle mass, eat an excess of at least 500 calories.
4. Never eat two cheat meals in a row! Going off of that, choose one or two days a week to have a cheat meal (not an entire cheat day!). If you fall of track, don’t beat yourself up!
5. Cardio is great for beginning to burn fat, but it’s not needed! Personally, I love to lift weights, but that’s not for everyone! There are loads of workouts to try and here’s a list of just a few: spin, yoga, hot yoga, boxing, crossfit, HIIT, the list really goes on.
6. Follow fitness accounts on Instagram for inspiration, guidance, tips, and workout ideas.
Now that you have the base, you can begin your journey and kick some fitness butt!