Just quit smoking and looking to get back into shape? It may feel like quite the challenge, especially if you were smoking for years and have found that you are severely out of shape.
But, taking steps forward now to improve your health and fitness is a must and as you get started, it will only get easier as time goes by.
If you can keep a few quick tips in mind as you work towards getting in better shape, you can make the process much more tolerable.
Let’s go over what you should know.
Prioritize Enjoyment
The very first thing that you should be doing is trying to prioritize enjoyment as much as possible. Right now, you are not focused on what type of exercise brings the best results, but rather, what type of exercise you are most likely to stick with.
And, this may mean non-gym activities entirely.
For instance, if you absolutely love playing soccer, join a recreational league. This will easily count as cardio training and help you get in shape quickly. The more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to actually do it.
Start Slow – Use A Day On/Day Off Protocol
Second, make sure that you start slow as well. Rather than doing a complete lifestyle overhaul and get to the gym five days a week, consider using a day off/day on protocol.
This will allow you one day of rest between each working day you do, which will not only help to ease post-workout muscle soreness, which can take many people out of the fitness game if it’s severe enough, but it can also help to combat against burnout.
If you’re only required to go to the gym three days per week, it won’t feel like your life is devoted to regular workout sessions.
Save that for down the road once you become more advanced and may want to actually be there that often.
Begin Bodyweight Training
Moving forward, also make sure that you are doing some bodyweight training as well. bodyweight training is a perfect way to strengthen your muscle tissues and help ease yourself into weight training later on.
Resistance training is one form of exercise that all people should do because it’s going to bet the variety that best boosts the metabolic rate permanently, allowing for easier weight control.
If you aren’t doing something to tell your body to maintain its lean muscle mass tissue, you may find yourself starting to grow weaker as time goes on.
And, if you actually begin losing lean muscle mass, you’re going to be at that much of a higher risk of putting on more body fat.
Seek Help From A Trainer
If you aren’t quite certain how to go about your workout correctly, make sure that you do get help from a personal trainer. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance.
If you aren’t doing an exercise properly, you won’t get the results you want and lack of progress could completely lead to motivation devastation.
If you are seeing great results, you’ll be that much more compelled to keep up with your program plan, so it’s vital that you are doing things correctly.
Don’t Neglect Everyday Movement
Finally, make sure that you aren’t overlooking the benefits that everyday movement can present. Simply getting up and moving more can work wonders for helping you reach your goals faster and get in better shape.
Many people are in the habit of spending an hour at the gym and then staying sedentary all day long because they think they’ve done their time.
Don’t let yourself belief this. One hour at the gym does not give you the right to park it on the couch all evening.
Get up and be active. You’re still burning calories and increasing your fitness level.
So use these tips as you take action to get into better shape after quitting smoking. The first week or two will always be trying but after that, you should find that it gets much easier and you actually notice you feel much better on days you do exercise compared to those you don’t.
