Habit #1: Ditch the scale

We’ve all heard that muscle weighs more than fat, right? But when we work out in order to lose weight and instead see the number on the scale rise, we quickly get frustrated. Don’t let the scale wreck your motivation to get fitter and healthier. It’s possible to become leaner and slimmer without the number on the scale changing, which means the scale isn’t the best representation of your progress.

Kyle Jason Lane, a Burn Boot Camp Elizabeth, NC trainer, says, “Get fitter and healthier by measuring your progress with pictures instead of the number on the scale.” Get into the habit of taking progress pictures one or two times a month, always wearing the same clothes. You’ll be much more motivated to push hard and eat healthier when you are able to compare your progress photos each month and see the actual changes in your body composition.

Habit #2: Keep your goals visible at all times

“A habit I always tell my clients to start doing to help them get fit and healthy is to write down their goals somewhere they will see them every day. Whether it’s on a mirror, a sticky note in your car, a whiteboard in your room, your refrigerator door or the wallpaper of your phone, making them visible helps you keep your eye on the prize!” suggests Burn Boot Camp Verona, WI trainer Cody Burns.

When you have a craving or want to skip a workout, your goals often slip your mind. Keeping your goals visible at all times will remind you of what you are working toward even in your weakest moments.

Habit #3: Schedule your workouts

Fit and healthy people don’t skip their workouts! If you struggle to make your workouts a priority in your life, Burn Boot Camp Columbus, OH trainer Becky Carnes Huff says, “Get into the habit of putting your workouts on your calendar. Once you have it scheduled, treat it the same way you would treat a doctor’s appointment or a work meeting.”

Would you skip a doctor’s appointment just because you didn’t feel like going? You probably wouldn’t. Before the week starts, make it a habit to sit down with your calendar and schedule your workouts for the entire week to help you become fit and healthy.

Habit #4: Close the kitchen

Fit and healthy people are not in the habit of eating around the clock. If you want to become fit and healthy too, you have to establish a designated time to close the kitchen. Creating these boundaries not only stops you from mindlessly snacking while watching TV. Waiting 12 hours between meals also has been shown to boost fat burning, increase digestion and promote a healthy gut.

Habit #5: Track your food before you eat

“Use the MyFitnessPal app, or any other food tracking app, to track your entire day’s worth of food the night before,” says Burn Boot Camp South Park, NC trainer Krysta Huber. While tracking your food is a great habit to get into when trying to get fit and healthy, tracking your intake after you eat may not be as helpful.

If you track your food later, you may realize after the fact that the food you consumed wasn’t as healthy as you anticipated or that you consumed a larger portion size than you should have. When you track your food beforehand, you are able to make adjustments to ingredients and portion sizes. “Tracking your food the night before also helps you commit to eating healthier because you have a plan to stick to for the entire day,” adds Krysta.

Habit #6: Surround yourself with tools that will help you get fit and healthy

“If you want to get fit and healthy, then surround yourself with things that will make you fit and healthy. For example, subscribe to a bunch of different health podcasts and play one every time you get into your car. You can also place fitness magazines in the bathroom, keep healthy cookbooks visible in your kitchen and follow nutritionists and personal trainers on social media.

Bombard yourself with a healthy environment,” suggests Burn Boot Camp Hainesport, NJ trainer Sandy Sweeney. When you start acting like you are fit and healthy by creating a healthy environment, you will become fit and healthy!

Habit #7: Get an accountability partner

It’s easy to set goals, but it is hard to hold yourself accountable to do what it takes to actually reach them. “A great habit to get into when trying to get fit and healthy is to always share your goals verbally,” says Burn Boot Camp Northville, MI trainer Tricia Wanish.

Find a family member or friend who can become your accountability partner. Share not only your goals, but also exactly what you plan to do each day to ensure you reach them. Meet them for a workout or coffee regularly to keep them updated on your execution of your plan as well as your progress. When you let it be known to others that you are working toward a fit and healthy lifestyle, you will be much more motivated to actually do it!

Habit #8: Eat greens at each meal

The key to getting fit and healthy isn’t working out more; it’s eating more healthy foods. The best way to ensure you are eating nutritious meals is by eating greens at each meal. Greens should take up half your plate, while protein and carbohydrates each take up ¼ of your plate.

If you struggle to get enough greens into your diet, add cooked kale or spinach into each meal. When cooked, the “green” taste is greatly reduced and the leaves take on the flavor of the rest of your dish. You can also try blending this delicious chocolate-flavored green powder into a protein smoothie each morning for an amazing extra boost of greens.

Habit #9: Start meditating

Fit and healthy people concentrate on their physical health as well as their mental health. Developing the habit of meditating each morning, even for just five minutes, will help you reduce stress, increase focus and productivity and create a more positive mindset.

A great meditation practice to start with is focusing on your breath. On each inhale, feel yourself breathe in new, positive energy and allow it to fill your entire body. On each exhale, feel yourself breathe out old, negative energy—all thoughts and feelings that are creating stress, anxiety, doubt or lack of confidence. Repeating this each morning for five to ten minutes will create a healthier mindset, which will give you more energy and motivation to get fit and healthy.

Haley Twist

It’s 2018, Burn Nation, and Raise the Bar 2.0 has officially begun!

You’ve made it through the holiday season—a time that tempts you to skip your workout, stay home on the couch, and indulge in all things sweet. Now it’s time to kick those bad habits to the curb and prioritize your health, fitness, energy, and nutrition; which is why you’ve signed up for Raise the Bar!

All that’s left to do is commit. Commit to showing up for yourself, to working hard to reach your personal records, and to jumping for joy as you watch yourself gain strength and reach your goals! We know it can be difficult to stick to a fitness challenge, but giving it your all every day is vital in seeing the results you’re striving for.

To help you over the next six weeks, we’ve mapped out 10 key tips that will guide you in fully committing to raising your bar and conquering every single challenge that stands in your way!

1. Do it for YOU

Remember that you are doing this for no one else but YOURSELF. We know you spend most of your time juggling the needs of everyone around you—your kids, your spouse, your job, and so many other responsibilities and obligations. By signing up for Raise The Bar, you’ve made the decision to carve out time each day for your own health and fitness, and that is incredibly important. If you feel like quitting, remember that you’re committed to yourself, and that you owe it to yourself to give it 100%. In fact, because of the dedication you’ll exude during this challenge, we can bet you’ll become an even better parent, spouse or person!

2. Bring a friend

Many people find that it’s easier to stick to a fitness challenge when they conquer it with a friend by their side. Working out with a buddy can hold you accountable and boost your motivation. Invite a friend to camp or make a pact with a Burn Sister and promise to share your progress with each other at the end of every week.

3. Make it a habit

Just like anything else that you do on a regular basis, working out should become a habit. It should become such a permanent routine in your daily life that leaves you with no room for excuses. Even if you’re just starting out with Burn or you’re new to exercise in general, trust us when we say that if you dread working out at first, once you commit your mindset WILL change. We like to say that once you start seeing results, working out and feeling healthy becomes an addition!

4. Focus on the present

One of the best ways to commit to Raise the Bar is to take the days one at a time. Only think about today, and deal with tomorrow when it comes. When you walk into camp or start your at-home workout, narrow your focus to conquering that one day, that one hour, and that one workout. Don’t let yourself feel overwhelmed by thinking about how you’ll get through the next six weeks. Take it one day at a time and see your results soar!

5. Set realistic goals…and write them down

During the first week of Raise the Bar, think about everything you’d like to accomplish. Envision your goals for personal exercise records, nutrition and sugar intake, weight loss, muscle gain, energy levels, or anything else you’d like to see happen as a result of the challenge, then write them down. Whether in a journal or even in a simple note on your phone, write them out and keep them somewhere that you can access often. It will help you remember why you’re working so hard!

6. Track your progress

After you’ve written down your goals, make sure to also write down your progress! Schedule focus meetings with your trainer and record your measurements, nutrition wins, and your personal records, of course! Tracking yourself as you get closer to achieving your goals can be the motivation you never knew you needed!

7. Share your goals and progress on social media

We have urged all our members to share their Raise the Bar progress on social media throughout the next six weeks with the hashtag #ImRaisingMyBar! Don’t be afraid to be bold and share your fitness goals on social media. By putting them out there, you can help hold yourself accountable, and it also allows you to support all your Burn Sisters on their own fitness journeys! Additionally, if you track your progress on social media as you go, whether sharing your measurements or sharing pictures, you’ll have an amazing record of your progress at the end of the challenge! You’ll love looking back to see how far you’ve come in only six weeks!

8. Buy new workout gear

It might sound silly, but who agrees that putting on a brand new workout outfit makes it so much easier to get out the door and exercise?! If you agree, treat yourself! If you’re feeling unmotivated, buy some new gear that will boost your excitement to work out. (Don’t forget to pick up a Raise the Bar shirt from your local Burn!)

9. Meal prep

Trust us, when tackling a fitness challenge and aiming to significantly lower your sugar intake over the next six weeks, meal prepping can be your best friend! Dedicating a few hours every weekend to preparing your meals ahead of time not only saves you tons of time in the week ahead but also decreases your chances of reaching for something unhealthy or high in sugar. If you already have a healthy meal in your fridge ready to go, you’re a lot less likely to eat out or grab sugary snacks. (And if you do have that pesky craving for sugar, try one of our low/no sugar recipes found in your Raise the Bar challenge packet!)

10. Prepare the night before

This simple tip can work wonders for your workout motivation. Grab your exercise gear the night before and place them somewhere you’ll easily see the next morning. Just having your clothes and shoes already picked out for you makes it easier to grab them and go, and cuts down on your excuses!

We hope these tips will help you to dominate Raise the Bar! If you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for?! Visit our website to learn more about the challenge and how it will put you in control of your health and fitness in 2018!