Women’s Guide to Getting In Shape

Every woman – no matter how skinny or rational she may be – will have this thought at least once in her life: “I need to get in shape” Getting in shape is really no rocket science. All you need is a healthy diet, combined with regular exercise and a positive attitude. There is scientific evidence to back this up, as well as personal testimonies from people who have succeeded in getting a lean and stunning body with these healthy methods. Here are some guidelines to help you out: 

1. Make a Commitment – Just like with any other goal that you want to achieve, getting in shape is something that you have to commit yourself towards wholeheartedly. Firstly, think about why you want to get in shape. It should be for yourself and your own benefit, not for someone else. Don’t get in shape just because your boyfriend or husband says you should; get in shape because you want to feel good about yourself.

2. Get Emotional Support – Support can come from your partner, family, friends and colleagues. They must understand why you are doing this and have your best interests at heart. They can offer support by eating healthily and exercising with you, listening to your concerns, and not forcing you to do things that you don’t want to.

3. Set Realistic Goal – Want to lose 20kg in two weeks? That’s just not possible, and you should not try to aim for that. Be realistic in your expectations, or else you will just disappoint yourself. A reasonable rate of weight loss is 500g to 1kg a week, which you can achieve by burning between 500 and 1,000 calories every day. You don’t have to starve yourself to burn these calories – combine lower calorie intake with exercise every day.

4. Eat Healthily and Enjoy It – Why does healthy eating have to mean bland, boring meals? If you want to get in shape healthily and keep it, then you have to adopt eating habits that still allow you to enjoy the pleasure of food, or else you will not be motivated to continue eating healthily.

5. Be Active – Cutting down on calories from your daily diet is one method – but you can “top up” that strategy by exercising regularly, so that you do not have to diet so much. Exercising for 30 minutes a day, four days a week, can help you double your rate of weight loss! The best thing about exercise is that it offers many bonus benefits beyond weight loss. It improves your health in the long term and makes you feel good about yourself!

If you experience a setback, do not give up. Think about why the setback occurred and start afresh the next day. And do not just look towards tomorrow; look towards the rest of your life.