With the new year fast approaching, many of us will reflect and may feel like we need to kickstart our fitness and wellness journey. We may also just want to get back into it after going through a slower dip currently. Remember life has ups and downs, so don’t get too down if you feel like you have ‘fallen off the band wagon‘ or found your fitness level reducing because of other priorities.

The good news is that no matter where you are at, you can always start from there and make some great progress! The 5 tips below will hopefully aid in getting you up and ‘running’ and keep the motivation going!

1 Have a plan/goal and Track it

This may seem cliche, but taking a step back before rushing to the gym and planning out what exactly you want to achieve, and then how to go about it may prove quite beneficial to your journey. This helps to give you a clear roadmap or path to follow when starting out and in turn makes the whole transition or process a lot easier and smoother. 

Remember it does not have to be super strict or perfectly planned out at first. You can always refine it as you go on and find what works for you and what doesn’t. Planning out your training days as well as your nutrition and meals can really help with saving you time. You can also check this diet guide on what to eat before a big gym session to help you achieve your body goals.

2 Get a workout buddy

One of the biggest challenges we tend to face when trying to get (back) into fitness can be the loneliness aspect of it. Naturally we want someone to do it with us and have a sort of support system to make things easier and to help keep us motivated and accountable. Therefore, try to find a buddy who will come join you. It would be great if they could workout with you, but even if its your wife or child for example, they can do their own thing but getting ready and going with them, can certainly help as well.

The motivation and accountability of doing it all with someone will most definitely help with your journey!

3 Do what you enjoy

When thinking of getting fit or getting back into fitness, our immediate thought goes straight to the gym and that we have to attend the gym in order to get fit. This is really not the case. Certainly weight lifting helps a great deal with muscle development and a whole lot of other benefits but this doesn’t have to be the core focus of your workouts. IF you do not enjoy the gym, find something or some sport that you really enjoy and that you can keep doing for a long time. You can also change it up and try something else if you find that you get bored with a certain movement. 

There are so many things you can do on a regular basis to keep fit such as walking, surfing, tennis, soccer, badminton, martial arts and the list goes on. Make sure you have fun while doing it!

4 Start small and build it up

With both the gym/workout aspect and your diet, it is so important to remember that small gradual change are best. Do not try to rush the journey and make massive changes too quickly.

It takes time and we can become impatient when the progress is slow or halts, but the key is consistency and to keep at it.

5 Find what motivates you

There are many things that can provide motivation, and we each have to find what works best for us. IT could range from almost anything such as motivational videos or podcasts, having a tasty smoothie after a workout, getting dressed in those lovely workout clothes or whatever works for you. Another great aspect of motivation is to understand why you are doing it. Maybe it’s for your kids to be able to keep up with them for example. Knowing your why and reflecting on it every now and again can help to keep you motivated and keep you going on your journey!

Conclusion

The above are five simple tips to help you on your journey and help get you started or back into things, but there are many more aspects to it. Once you get started you may naturally start to research more things and progress more and more on your journey.

Keep it up and keep going with it and remember not every day or every session has to be perfect or intense. Life goes up and down and so does your body and mood, so we have to adapt and stay flexible!

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The post The Fit Five! 5 Tips For Getting Out Of That Fitness Slump appeared first on FitNish.com.

The recipe I’m going to share today consists of tofu, cabbage and chili paste. You can enjoy this dish with brown rice or farro, depending on what you like more.

• Preparation Time: 1 Hour
• Ready In: 6 Hours

Ingredients:

For Tofu & BBQ Glaze:

• 1 14- to 16-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained
• 2 tbsps. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsps. chili powder or paprika
• 2 tbsps. gochujang
• ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• ¾ cup scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsps. fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbsps. garlic, minced
• ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsps. peanut oil, divided
• 2 tsps. molasses
• 2 tsps. white miso
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
• 2 tbsps. water

For Cabbage:

• 12 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 2 tbsps. toasted sesame seeds, divided
• 2 tbsps. toasted (dark) sesame oil
• 1½ + ¼ cups sliced scallions (2-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsps. peanut oil
• 3 tbsps. reduced-sodium soy sauce

Method:

1. Start off with the preparation of Tofu for which, you will have to cut tofu crosswise into eight equal pieces.
2. Press those pieces for 1-4 hours.
3. Now comes the preparation of barbecue glaze for which, you will have to take a small skillet and add 1 tbsp., peanut oil in it. Add chopped onion to the skillet along with ginger and garlic and stir everything over medium heat. Take the skillet off the heat and add scallions, vinegar, molasses, gochujang, 1 tbsp., sesame oil, miso, honey, chili powder, and water.
4. Mix all the ingredients well and then, transfer them to a medium bowl. Keep the bowl in the refrigerator.
5. In order to marinate tofu, you need to spread 1 tsp of barbecue glaze on each side of tofu pieces. Place the pieces in the baking dish, cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator for four hours at least to a maximum of one day.
6. Now comes the grilling part, so preheat the grill to medium heat. Brush peanut oil on both sides of tofu pieces. Oil the grill rack as well, and then, place tofu pieces on the grill. Keep the pieces on the grill for 4-5 minutes or until they become lightly charred. Transfer the pieces to a plate.
7. Now, you will have to prepare the cabbage for which you will have to take a small bowl in which you will add sesame oil and soy sauce. Take a carbon steel wok now (preferably flat-bottom) and add peanut oil in it. Heat the oil until it becomes very hot. Add scallion pieces into the wok and stir for 2-3 minutes or until the scallion pieces become softened. Now, add cabbage to the wok and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the cabbage becomes wilted. Now, add this mixture to the mixture of soy sauce and sesame seeds.
8. You can now transfer the cabbage to a platter, and place grilled tofu on top. Drizzle BBQ sauce on tofu and garnish the entire recipe with sliced scallions and remaining sesame seeds and sauce.

Author Bio:

Monica Henin, the author of this amazing tofu recipe has written a countless number of blogs and articles. Her areas of expertise are healthy recipes and food tips, and by reading this post, you can clearly make out why she is called an expert. Check out more of her amazing work on Addonkitchen.com 

• Photo by Caroline Attwood on Unsplash

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The post Grilled Tofu with BBQ Glaze And Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe appeared first on FitNish.com.