Lack of motivation, no time, too cold, or still too hot? There are many excuses for not exercising. However, the regular practice of a sports activity is not only recommended for physical health but also for morale. Here are our 5 tips for starting or returning to sport at your own pace.

Set clear and achievable goals

Consult your doctor’s opinion

In the event of a prolonged sedentary lifestyle or a specific physical condition (heart, bone, joint or respiratory problem), consultation with a doctor prior to resuming sport is essential. It allows you to know the good practices to put in place according to the needs of your metabolism (sports to avoid, advice on the frequency of departure, etc.) and to define achievable objectives.

Write down your goals to better visualize them

Before starting the sport, defining objectives and writing them down allows you to have a concrete goal in mind and a course of action to follow. For this, we can use the acronym S.M.A.R.T. :

– Specific: the objective to be achieved must not be too vague, it must be clear and precise;

– Measurable: the sporting project must be quantifiable, it can be for example a loss or a target mass gain, or even a desired frequency of sporting activity;

– Achievable: the objective must be ambitious while being achievable to make the resumption of sport a motivating challenge;

– Realistic: the sports project must remain within achievable measures to avoid abandonment along the way;

– Time-bound: Defining key dates in both the short and long term will allow tracking of progress associated with the targeted goals.

Choose a suitable sport or exercise

If there is a golden rule for resuming or starting a sport, it is this: choose a sport that you like in accordance with your body and your rhythm of life. No need to take up running if you hate running or practice a team sport on a fixed schedule if you leave the office at variable times.

Our advice: opt for a sport that you have been thinking about for a long time, that you like to follow or that mobilizes the muscles or parts of the body that you want to work!

Also Read: The Importance of Sports Trainers

Determine a routine conducive to sports practice

Dedicate slots to your sports activities

To stay on track, define the days of the week or the times of the day that you want to dedicate to your sports activities. Before or after work? At lunch break or on weekends? Choosing relevant and realistic moments according to your schedule allows you not to be overwhelmed and to remain persevering and regular in your routine and in your progress.

Adapt your diet

Weight loss, mass gain, or muscle building? The athlete’s diet varies according to his goals. As part of a specific sports diet, a balanced diet based on fruits and vegetables, cereals, proteins, and good fats is ideal. In terms of hydration, water is the best ally of athletes: it compensates for the water lost through perspiration, helps prevent injuries, and promotes physical recovery.

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Surround yourself to stay motivated

Team sports, gym, coaching, or family sports activities, there are many ways to stay motivated during the resumption of sport. Associating sport with a moment of socialization is an excellent way to anchor the practice in one’s lifestyle.

Our advice: to regain a lasting taste for sport, try your favorite team sport, join the gym with a coach or take part in group activities (cycling with the family, running with friends, or another collective yoga session).

Listen to your body and evolve in practice

Increase the frequency or duration of workouts

Have you started or resumed sport for good? After several weeks, your health improves, and your general physical condition evolves: you can allow yourself to increase the frequency of each training session or the duration of the effort if you wish to continue to evolve in your physical performance.

Learn new practices

In parallel with the improvement of your sporting level and your health, discovering a new sport or a new activity is an excellent way to reinforce your motivation to continue the sport but also to explore new physical or even mental and spiritual resistances.

Photo: Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio

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