• Set one goal each month: for example, working out three times a week or doing 20 push-ups every day. You'll feel successful at the end of each month and this will inspire you to set more goals.

• Muscle mass burns more calories than fat, so strength training is a must if you want to drop pounds. Include at least three 30-45 minute sessions each week, making sure to work every part of your body.

• Switch up the order of your routine or the exercises you do in your workouts once a month to keep your muscles working in different ways and so you won’t get bored. If you run outside the ground isn’t usually even to do a different route or run your current route backwards.  When weight training, mix up the order of your moves and change up the exercises you are doing - there’s lots of different ones for each body part to choose from.

   

• Do compound exercise moves. This burns more calories and improves balance and mobility which are also important for overall physical fitness. Don’t just stand there doing bicep curls when you could be doing squats to tone your lower body at the same time. Try these multitasking moves that work more than one part of the body at once.Compound moves are best done at the beginning of your strength training workout, after your warm-up. 

• Take rest days! Recovery days are essential for three reasons: they give your body time to repair and get stronger, they help prevent injury, and they offer you a mental break.

• Find a deep personal goal that means a lot to you which you can use to motivate yourself to make the choice to workout when you don’t feel like it. 

• Don't run every day for your cardio. Vary your cardio workouts to prevent overuse injuries and to strengthen other muscles. You can use bodyweight cardio moves and routines which are really effective or use gym cardio machines.

   

• Combine strength training and cardio into one workout for serious metabolic conditioning.

• Leave workout gear around your house, such as dumbbells by the TV or an unrolled yoga mat on the floor of your bedroom, for reminders to fit in mini- fitness breaks for a few minutes every hour or so during the day or whenever you can. Put on your workout clothes as soon as you jump out of bed so you are ready to workout in the mornings. 

• Don't just target trouble zones when strength training. Work your legs, butt, abs, back, and arms equally. Remember the more muscle mass you create overall, the more calories you'll burn, which decreases your total body-fat percentage to reveal your sculpted muscles.

• Don’t reward yourself with unhealthy food or special treat after a workout.  Fuel yourself in a healthy way to recover after a workout. Whether it's with a 150-calorie snack or 400- to 500-calorie meal, make it complete with veggies, fruit, protein, and whole grains.

• Walking or jogging outside rather than on a  treadmill not only boosts your mood, but the uneven terrain - especially when trail running but even in park tracks or along roads - also requires more balance, agility, and coordination. This makes your muscles and supporting ligaments work harder.

• If you don’t have time for a longer workout, try doing a workout using kettlebells. The average person burns 400 calories in 20 minutes when doing kettlebell exercises. 

• Sugary sports drinks aren't necessary unless you've been exercising intensely for over an hour like running longer races, for example, or working out in unusual heat for a longer period than you normally do. For shorter workouts, rehydrate with water.

• Vary your use of cardio machines at the gym even within a single workout to target different muscles and keep your workout exciting. You can do one cardio session that combines the rowing machine, elliptical, and treadmill.

• For maximum calorie-burning results, weightlifting is great, but you still should do cardio. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) cardio is the most effective, especially if you want to target belly fat.

• Three to four 45-minute HIIT workouts a week are all you need for cardio to lose weight. You can also rotate in some longer interval or slower-paced but longer time cardio workouts if you are working on endurance.

• Don’t compare yourself to others. Even when you’re making progress toward reaching your health and fitness goals, frequently comparing yourself to other people can leave you feeling frustrated or discouraged. Take body measurements and write down your workouts - what you did  and how much weight you use in your various exercises and you will be able to see how much you are changing and improving and that’s the only thing you can compare to: where you started and what changes you are seeing as you go along each week or two. If you are watching your nutrition and exercise and intensity of workouts you will see changes in your body measurements, how your clothes fit, how you feel, and how much more weight you are able to lift compared to the amount when you started. 

Fitness Spark!: Implementing these tips into your workout plans will help you enjoy your workouts more while getting optimal results!

Sign up HERE for my newsletter for tips on nutrition, fitness, healthy habits and wellness to Spark Health, Ignite Joy!