With the summer months slowly drawing to a close, many people decide that the post-holidays, back-to-school months is the best time to give their fitness and health a kickstart.
If you’re struggling to know where to start or you just need some tips to help you get back into your old routine, personal trainers at Absolute Body Solutions have put together their top 10 tips for kickstarting your fitness this autumn.
1
START WITH YOUR NUTRITION
We all like to indulge on a lovely summer holiday abroad or staycation here in the UK. Most of us will eat and drink more than we usually would so getting your nutrition back on track is the best place to start.
If you’re wanting to lose some holiday weight, set yourself a goal of eating in a calorie deficit. Simply, this means taking in fewer calories than you burn in a day. This does not need to be too drastic but by slightly reducing your calorie intake, you will begin to lose fat particularly if you match this with getting back into some kind of fitness.
2
GET IN THAT PROTEIN
A really important thing to consider with your nutrition is to make sure you are hitting your daily protein intake.
If you’re not sure how much protein you should be eating, ABS say that the general rule is to eat 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of body weight. Doing this alongside consuming fewer calories will help to get your nutrition back in line.
Finally, make sure your diet is rich with different proteins, high in green vegetables and contains plenty of fruit, particularly thinner-skinned fruit such as berries.
3
DO SOME FORM OF FITNESS 3-4 TIMES A WEEK
Once you’ve decided on a nutrition plan, getting back into some kind of regular exercise is the best way to get back on track this autumn.
ABS say you should aim to exercise around 3-4 times a week in or outside of a gym. That should also include something simple like increasing your step count. We’ve all heard it before but try to aim for around 7,000-10,000 steps a day if possible. It will really make a big difference.
4
OPT FOR HEALTHIER ALCOHOL CHOICES
Many people commit to an alcohol detox after a long summer holiday but if you are not planning to cut out alcohol altogether then it is important to factor in the calorie content in alcoholic beverages and try to make smarter choices.
Instead of opting for a glass of red wine or pint of beer, try a slimline gin and tonic or glass of prosecco, both of which contain fewer calories.
5
DON’T FORGET ABOUT WATER!
Remember to also keep drinking plenty water. Aim for 2-3 litres a day. It can be hard to remember to drink that much water so try to keep a flask with you at your desk or when you go out to remind yourself to have a sip every so often.
Water could start to replace some drinks where you would usually opt for an alcoholic drink, at least for a small time to allow you to get back on track with your routine.
6
MANAGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Managing your environment is a key element to getting back on track with your fitness whether that is at home, in the office or when you’re out.
When you’re out doing the food shop, avoid going when you’re hungry. Take a pre prepared shopping list with you to prevent you going off track.
At home, try to clear the house out of too much that could be considered as ‘temptation food’. This will help when you have cravings. If the supply of your temptation food is limited then this will force you into sticking to your meal plan.
7
BUILD HABITS
If you have fallen out of our usual fitness and nutrition routine, you don’t have to jump straight back in as soon as summer is over. Cutting right back on food or overdoing it in the gym, are some of the main reasons people struggle to maintain their new goals. Take time to get back into exercise, start slow and over time build up back to your usual. The same can be said with food. By cutting back drastically after a period of indulgence can be hard to maintain. Don’t rush, take your time and build back up at a sustainable pace.
8
FOCUS ON RECOVERY
If you have been away from the gym for some time over summer you may notice the first session back is not always easy. You’re putting your body through something it is now not used to. Focusing on recovery will mean your muscles can heal and you can get back to it for your next session.
Some easy ways to boost your recovery are to have some Epsom salt baths, drink plenty of water, eat plenty of protein and focus on good sleep.
9
GET IN ENOUGH ZZZ’S
Sleep is incredibly underrated, but it is absolutely key for muscle recovery.
Getting in a decent 7-8 hours of sleep will massively help you to recovery after your first sessions back in the gym.
To help with your sleep hygiene, don’t watch tv or go on you phone an hour before bed, keep your bedroom as dark as you can, have a bath before sleep and include magnesium vitamin in your diet as this can be a very useful sleep aid.
10
ENJOY YOUR TRAINING
No matter what your fitness thing is, whether it’s going for a walk, swimming, a PT session or playing your favourite sport, make sure you’re doing something you enjoy.
Enjoying your fitness is key to achieving great results. If you’re struggling to enjoy fitness by yourself, seek the help of a personal trainer or a friend who can support and motivate you to smash your goals and enjoy the process with you.
