10 workout tips that have nothing to do with exercise to help you achieve your goals

Fitness is a lifestyle and there are a lot of things you must keep in mind in order to lead a fit life. While your workouts are quintessential—they are dependent on a lot of physical and mental factors.

That’s why we spoke to Mumbai-based fitness influencer, Subhadeep Ray Choudhury and found out how you can make the most out of your workouts.

1. Follow an effective routine
It is important that you follow a regime that channelizes your energy in the best possible direction and can help you make every minute of your workout session count.

Choudhary suggests mixing and matching—alternating between 60-minute cardio sessions, 20 minutes of strength training to tone your body, and a high intensive interval training regime that involves everything from basic to complex forms. He suggests that all these are extremely time-efficient and productive ways of working out.

2. Regulate your water and fluid consumption
No matter how intense your workout regime is drinking water during exercise is very important if you want to get the most out of your workout. “If you are dehydrated you won’t be able to perform your best; it will make you feel dizzy and lethargic and you might even get cramps,” says Choudhury.

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A lot of people drink energy drinks while working out, but you only need them when you are working out for extensive hours. “If you are doing a regular regime, then just little sips of water every 15 minutes is more than enough,” he adds.

3. Set your eating habits right
Its important that you eat at time and give your body the time it requires to digest the food and utilise the energy. Your diet will depend on what your goal is, but what remains universal are two things: you must eat on time and you must never starve. Remember, not to workout with a full tummy, as it can make you nauseated.

According to Choudhury, you should give a gap of at least two to three hours between your meal and your workout. He also suggests that if you are going for an intensive workout, you can have a little portion of nuts, a boiled eggs, or a banana as your pre-workout snack. This will give you just the right amount of energy that you need to have a good session.

4. Set realistic goals
Your first day of cardio can’t be a 5K marathon just yet. Achieving fitness goals is a process of consistency and honest work. Choudhury suggests, “Focus on getting your form right and keep at it, perfection will follow and so will results.”
So, it is important that you focus on adopting healthy habits and set realistic goals—one goal at a time.

5. Find a friend to workout with
Find a friend or someone from your family who is also serious about setting their health right—somebody you are comfortable with. This way you can encourage as well as keep a check on each other. Work out together and while you are at it, build an even better bond.

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6. Make sure your workout routine is in sync with your lifestyle
Fitness is a lifestyle, but you shouldn’t have to go out of your way to make things happen. It doesn’t matter if you go to a fancy gym, use fancy gear, or sweat it out on your terrace—as long as you are doing things right and achieving your fitness goals.

Sort your daily schedule in a way that allows you to give your exercise regime the equal amount of importance and space that you give to your meals and leisure.

7. Watch the clock
We all have our own body clocks. And we need you to take a look at yours. For instance, if you are a morning person, you should schedule your workouts, early during the day. If you want the best results, work out while you have the most energy.

8. Do what makes you happy
In order to maintain consistency and stay motivated, it is important that you have fun in whatever it is that you are doing. So, pick up workout activities that you enjoy. “If you don’t like weights, it’s going to be hard for you pull yourself to do them every day. And don’t worry, there are always effective alternatives to all kinds of workouts,” adds Choudhury.

9. Always look out for inspiration
Fitness is a long-term, never-ending process. There will always be higher fitness goals to look forward to. This makes it very important for you to stay inspired. And one of the best ways to stay motivated is to consume motivating content—be it reading blogs, following fitness profiles on social media, or checking up with health and wellness websites and apps. Read about success stories and engage with your fitness goals.

10. Trust the process and have patience
Hang in there! Even if the results are taking longer to manifest, or if you hit a low, stay patient and keep at it. You are going through not just a change but a transformation and transformations take time. Just keep up with the rigor and you will have solid results come your way.