Slendertone fitness expert Alex Crockford explains how following a smart and long-term action plan will help ease you into fitness habits and really stick to them.
Challenging, body-transforming habits are difficult, but not impossible, to stick with. So if you find yourself forgetting to use your abs belt but are determined to stick with the plan then know this: you can train your brain to think of Slendertoning as an everyday habit you look forward to. It’s all about learning to work smarter, not harder.
Follow this simple action plan to keep you motivated and your goals firmly in sight:
Tag a new (healthy) habit onto an existing routine
Try to shift your mentality so you don’t think about having to set aside specific times to use your belt to work out; instead, make it work around you. Do what you’ve always done, but slightly differently: every time you turn the kettle on in the morning, grab a bottle of water from the fridge as well; rather than keeping a packet of cookies at your desk, keep a snack-sized pack of almonds or dried apricots instead. And if you tend to change into your joggers and sweatshirt the minute you get home from work, make sure you put your Slendertone belt on as well. You’re more likely to adapt and stick to small, barely noticeable changes in your everyday. In the long run, they can make a massive difference to your health.
Keep your long-term goal firmly on the horizon
Rather than focusing on the short-term, visualize what success looks like in the long run. Write down your goal and why it’s important to you, and keep it somewhere visible to remind yourself regularly. If you feel motivation starting to flag, make a conscious effort to take a few minutes out and go back to what you wrote: it will serve as a concrete reminder of what it is you’re trying to achieve and help reframe your focus around the positive. Just think how good it’s going to feel when you get there.
And make sure to reward your efforts
Change is slow, so it’s important to work small pay-offs into your action plan. This could be as simple as allowing yourself a square of dark chocolate or two every other day after you’re done using your belt. Or book yourself in for a well-earned full body massage at the end of a successful month. Doing something that makes you feel good and that you look forward to each time is what you need to keep motivated and stay in line with your toning goals.
