Stay Motivated with Exercise and Diet

The rate of obesity in some developed nations is growing steadily each year. The United States holds the torch as the fattest country, with over half the population being categorized as overweight. The United Kingdom isn’t far behind, and if trends continue, it will only become more of a prevalent issue.

Having a little extra weight is not inherently bad, however, and the degree of fat shaming in Western society is unfortunate. A person who appears thin can actually be quite unhealthy, with a high percentage of body fat relative to lean mass. Inversely, a larger individual who’s more active and has a better diet can be much more healthy and fit.

Therefore, weight alone is simply not a valid indicator of health, and people shouldn’t use it as a tool to judge or vilify others. However, the state of our food culture is so poor that deliberate actions must be taken in order to preserve a healthy lifestyle. This can be hard in the face of so many factors that seek to throw a wrench in one’s endeavors.

Unfortunately, the US economy favors processed foods that are laden with sugar and fats over fresh produce, and a lot of people find themselves opting for less nutritious choices because they can’t sustain healthier options. This is unfortunate, but it’s important to remember that you can make the most of your budget with some planning and strategy.

For instance, frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritionally dense as fresh, and they also keep much longer. If you find it hard to adapt your diet into something more beneficial for you, it’s a good idea to look for healthier substitutes for all your most coveted foods. Instead of purchasing deep fried fries from a fast food restaurant, try baking your own with some herbs, garlic and olive oil.

When it comes to exercise, starting a new routine can be particularly challenging. The key is to finding a program that you can stick to and be consistent with. Investing in a heart rate monitor is a great way to stay motivated, and you can find some excellent heart rate sports watches from HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com.

Your watch will tell you precisely how hard you’re working, as well as inform you of the amount of calories you’re burning in real time. This will make it much simpler to track your progress and create goals to beat each day.