7 Tips to Start a Health, Fitness and Wellness Journey

Table of Contents:

1. 4 common barriers to starting an exercise program

2. 7 tips to increase your health, fitness and wellness goals

Your fitness, health and wellbeing are a direct result of the choices you make. Many of us struggle to put ourselves at the top of our priority list to carve out the time, money and energy to take care of our health, fitness and wellness.

Imagine where you could be in 4 months’ if you chose to invest time and effort in yourself.

Movement is linked to every function and process in the body. Regular movement has the power to improve every part of your body, from your brain to your joints.

Exercise provides many benefits to our physical and mental health.

Surprisingly, recent figures show that there are 1.2 million more inactive adults now taking part in less than an average of 30 minutes of exercise each week than there were previously reported. This takes the total number of inactive adults in England to 12.3 million (27.1% of the population).

There are a number of obstacles people face when looking to begin incorporating movement into their day.

Working with an online coach can reduce the time needed to have a structured workout as there is no driving time to get to the gym as well as being able to integrate exercise easily into your daily life and schedule. Online training offers flexibility in time and duration that aren’t always offered in a commercial setting.

These barriers can fuel our excuses why we should wait to take care of our health, fitness and wellness. It is easy to find a reason we should wait…until tomorrow, until Monday, until next month, until the kids are older, until life slows down…

But there will never be a perfect recipe in life that makes taking the first step to prioritising YOU seem easy. The perfect TIME to prioritise your fitness, health and wellness is NOW!

7 Tips to start working on your HEALTH, FITNESS and WELLNESS goals:

1. Make exercising enjoyable

The best exercise is one that you enjoy the most. Find methods of movement that make you feel good both mentally and physically.

Make a list of different activities that suit your lifestyle, budget, time constraints, and physical condition.

2. Work With a Coach

Using an online personal trainer or coach removes many of the barriers that can otherwise deter people from starting an exercise programme or health journey.

Whether you need the structure of a plan, the accountability of a coach keeping you committed to your program or the assistance of a personal trainer working with you while you exercise, working with an online coach is a great option.

Working with a coach provides you the accountability to stay on track on the days when your motivation is low. Hutton Health's online coaching allows you to have an experienced coach in your pocket; we are your biggest cheerleader, your support team and your accountability partner.

3. Set a Goal

Write down your goals with as much detail as possible. Create your vision of what you would like for your health and body.

Motivation is fuelled when you have something to aim for. You don’t need to have exact numbers and ‘sizes’ but just a direction of where you would like to start heading.

Download Hutton Health's free goal setting workbook.

4. Sleep

Sleep is incredibly important. Getting a good routine in the evening will make the world of difference.

Put your screens down at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep, find a good book, listen to some music, meditate, listen to a podcast….find something that will help you wind down to a good night’s sleep.

Read this blog for quick tips for quality sleep.

5. Nutrition

A balanced diet consists of a variety of foods, with foods from all food groups, including protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. The body and brain will not function optimally if they do not get enough of a certain macronutrient group, such as carbohydrates or fats.

Rather than concentrating on what you need to REMOVE and what you CAN’T HAVE from your diet, focus on ADDING IN to your diet:

· Add in more lean protein

· Add in more vegetables

· Add in more water

· Add in more fruit

Download Hutton Health's FREE Meal Planner

6. Reward your efforts

Even meeting short-term exercise goals is a cause for celebration. You've demonstrated your willingness to improve your health, so recognise yourself for your efforts!

Whatever your reward, make sure it is something enjoyable and meaningful.

7. Drink More Water!

Water is crucial to your health. It makes up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry on normal functions. Even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make you tired.

When you drink more water, it has the double combination of feeding your body and clearing you of all the waste products that were built up in your system.

Your brain needs water, and plenty of it. Without water, your brain will operate worn out, tired and sluggish. Water is the ultimate gift to give yourself to think with clarity.

I love this motivational water bottle to help encourage me to drink water through the day!

Hutton Health’s mission is to help people remove barriers to starting and committing to a health and fitness programme. Visit www.huttonhealth.co.uk to find out how we can help you start regularly incorporating movement into your day!

It is easy to put off your health and fitness goals to start next week, next month, next year…..but there are an abundance of reasons for starting your journey right now. Investing in YOUR body and YOUR health is the number one thing that you can do for yourself. My mission is to empower people to make their mind and body a priority, the only real obstacle to achieving your dreams is you!