21 In ’21: Fitness Tips & Tricks

This month, my regular fitness journey progress report coincides with my monthly 21 In ’21 post so I’m merging the two into one. At least that’s my excuse for going thin on the progress report part of the post.

Like in 21 In ’21: Blogs To Discover, 21 In ’21: Instagram Accounts To ❤, 21 In ’21: Delightful Reads, 21 In ’21: Helpful Hacks, 21 In ’21: May Flowers, 21 In ’21: Scams To Avoid, 21 in ’21: Love, Hate, And Desire, 21 In ’21: Packing For A Road Trip, and 21 In ’21: Highlights From A Road Trip, I’ve set out this year to publish a post on the 21st of each month that lists 21 of my top recommendations/favorites/ideas as they relate to that month’s topic. Limiting the tips and tricks as they relate to my fitness journey might seem restrictive (or perhaps excessive) however, I hope I’ve got a few that you hadn’t heard of before.

As for my month 4 fitness journey progress report, it seems that I haven’t yet gotten fully back into my fitness game this past month. While I am still keeping my food log and I did manage to lose 2 more pounds, I’ve clocked in very little exercise so overall, there isn’t much progress to report on. It’s all good, I’m glad to not have gone completely off the rails. My clothes are still fitting looser and I’ve begun to rediscover a few favs that had gotten a bit too snug in the past couple of years. Nevertheless, I need to get my focus back. With so little progress to report on, I’m not going to include a stats update or side-by-side photos. I’ll get back to those next month.

My list of tips and tricks has been gleaned from a number of online resources from digital magazines to Instagram to blogs. Giving credit where credit is due, I’ve included links to sources as appropriate. This list of fitness tips and tricks isn’t organized by any priority or ranking as to preference. Each of them in some way is as valuable as the rest. That being said, the first several are the key changes that I’ve made in the last few months.

Get enough sleep – I could write a whole post on the difference being well-rested can make in your life (and I just might).

Keep/start a food log – I don’t plan my meals in advance because I have the luxury of time to prepare as I go but a food log helps me assess my daily calories and macros.

Weigh and measure your food – what may appear to be an obsessive behavior to some is in reality a learning tool about portion size.

Assess your daily intake – once you have a few weeks of daily food log entries, you can begin to take stock of how well you are meeting any expectations you have about how good or bad your food choices have been overall. I’m not using the “d” word because that’s not what this tip is about. It’s about how well you’re nourishing your body and meeting its fueling needs.

Consider Intermittent Fasting (IF) – if you haven’t heard about IF, I did a post on it a few years ago (click here to read) or you should google it. There are tons of online resources. I find it very helpful in managing my daily calorie intake.

Track your hydration – even though I mostly only drink water and green tea, I began to realize that I wasn’t drinking enough on a daily basis. Whereas I would drink 24 to 32 ounces of water each way during my commute while working, I wasn’t giving it a lot of thought now that I’m at home all the time. Keeping a log helps.

Don’t drink your calories – this tip may rub those of you who love your smoothies and protein shakes the wrong way, however, consider some of the other caloric beverages you drink. Wine with dinner, margaritas with friends, iced caramel latte whatevers … those extras can add up quickly.

Find and follow fitness buffs – there are a number of fitness-focused accounts I’ve found on Facebook and Instagram from which I get exercise ideas and motivation tips. A few of my current favs are The Betty Rocker, @docjenfit, @heidi.fossali, and @gunning4fitness. On the blog front, you should check out Wendy over at The Inspired Eater.

Start today – avoid thinking that right now isn’t the best time to start and that next Monday or the 1st of next month would be better. Every day is a good day … the clock starts now.

Be wary of fitness fads – gimmicks and supplements that seem too good to be true probably are. Becoming fitter won’t happen overnight but working on it every day will.

Ruts and routines are not all bad – it’s ok to make peace with eating the same foods day in and day out as long as they meet your goals for balanced nutrition. I eat the same thing for breakfast every day (plain greek yogurt, blueberries, granola, a slice of homemade sourdough bread) because it’s easy to plan for and it’s one less decision I need to make in the morning or at the market. Ok, sometimes it’s strawberries instead of blueberries but you get what I’m saying.

Learn your triggers – if you find yourself losing control over your eating, give some thought as to why that might be happening. For me, fatigue is/was a huge factor in triggering me to seek out sugar. When well-rested, those urges are practically nonexistent. Another trigger for me can be anxiety at social gatherings.

Have healthy snacks on hand – if I’m going out in the afternoon, I try to take along snack options that fit into my daily plan. I recently found single-portion packages of beef jerky at Costco that provide me with an easy portable protein option. Sliced deli turkey and a banana or apple slices are other go-to options for me.

Enjoy the feeling – there truly is a “high” that you can get from exercising that lasts long after the sesh. If you ever feel like you need a mood booster, just head out for a 20-30 minute walk. I never fail to feel recharged after a workout at the gym.

Set reasonable goals – whether you’re trying to lose weight or increase your endurance or see more muscle definition, it can take time to achieve those goals and every little bit helps. Meeting incremental goals will help to keep you motivated.

Try a fitness app and/or wearable tracker – my preference is Fitbit (not sponsored) but there are many brands and providers to choose from. Check out my Fitness Trackers: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly post to find out what I really think about wearables.

Get shoes that fit you – make sure your footwear is not only suitable for your workouts but more importantly, suitable for your feet and your physical makeup. I’ve learned that I need a sneaker with a sole that is nearly as wide across in the middle as it is at the foot and heel. No amount of arch support can overcome the pronation caused by flat feet but a wider midsole provides added stability. Once I figured this out, the pain I would get in my knees and hips during my 45-60 minute walks diminished greatly.

There you have it, my top 21 fitness tips and tricks as well as my fitness journey status report for month 4. For those who’ve counted and say that I’m short a few on the 21, I counted each of the links in the 8th tip as separate ones (a bit of a trick, I know, but it’s getting late and I need to finish this post). What’s the current state of your own fitness journey? And, one last question … how are you doing now that nine months and 21 days have passed in 2021?

Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.

Feature and final photos: MMPerez