Many times we make things more complicated than they have to be. The same is true for health, fitness, and exercise. We see health the same way we see the U.S Tax code, too complicated to understand. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Start out small. Let me give you a few quick tips to get started.

1. Do something – anything!!!
Get out of the recliner & do something. A body at rest tends to stay at rest, but once your moving it’s easier to stay moving. It’s called momentum and it feels great! If your not sure where to start you can start small. Go walk around the house 7 times or do 10 pushups if you can. The point is to get your blood flowing. Still want a program to help? Try 10 Minute Trainer. It’s a great program!

2. Do something 5-6 days/ week.
Some will tell you to keep it to 3 times per week. I would have to disagree. Now if your a bodybuilder that’s worried about overtraining that’s fine. (Chances are you’re not that person or you would have stopped reading this article already) If you’re serious about your health it’s going to take some investment. BE CONSISTENT! Take one, maybe two days off per week at most.

3. Change something.
Replace any sugary drinks (such as sodas) with WATER immediately! We all need water to survive. I’m not going to go into how much we need per day. If you just replace any other beverages throughout the day with water you’ll be well on your way! One habit, one meal, one indulgence. Cut out one unhealthy habit or food item per week. I know there are some things that are harder than others, but trust me, you can do it. I used to be pretty much addicted to soft drinks until I realized they were killing me.

4. Turn off the TV!
I’ve completed 3 rounds of P90X (love it, by the way) and the main argument I get from people is the length of each workout. Each workout is roughly 1 hour. People say, “I don’t have an hour to workout!” That’s not true! You have time for what you make time for. If most people just replaced their time in front of the “one-eyed devil” with something productive, they would enjoy life a lot more!
Could your family be stronger if you spent more time together? Log how much time per week you spend watching – you’ll be surprised!

5. Get more sleep.
At least 6-8 hours per night. This is one of my biggest struggles. I pastor a church, have a family, try to keep up with two different blogs, and stay healthy among others things. It’s not easy. I love early mornings and find many times I’m most productive late at night. BUT our bodies and our minds need rest!

6. Set Goals!
Give yourself a deadline and a specific plan. Put it on your refrigerator, your mirror, wherever. If you don’t know where your going how can you plan your trip?!

7. Be accountable.
This is important! Find someone in your life and tell your goals to them. It could be your spouse, a close friend, a coworker, or even here at Musclocity.com. Tell someone what you plan to do. Put yourself out on a limb! It puts the pressure on! Tell them how much weight you want to lose or how much muscle you want to gain this year. Maybe you want to run a marathon. Tell someone your goals that will hold you accountable.

Do you have any tips that have worked for you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.