Some people know that they have to exercise and eat right, but what else do they know about fitness? Fitness is an entire lifestyle and in some instances, it is a major lifestyle change. Here are some great techniques that will help you get and stay fit, so you are in the best shape of your life.

Work out your abs without doing crunches. That’s right, all you have to do is to take a deep breath and on the exhale, simply squeeze your belly to your spine and hold it for about 10 seconds. You’ll be working your transversus abdominis muscle, which lays behind more prominent abdominal muscles but can flatten your stomach noticeably.

A great way to help you get fit is to start drinking coffee before your workouts. The caffeine will provide you with a boost of energy that will give you a better workout. Avoid getting coffee drinks from places such as Starbucks because their drinks tend to be loaded with sugar and fat.

Keep track of your walking throughout the day. You would be surprised at how many steps you take or don’t take. Set a daily goal, and stick to it. Ideally, you should take about 10,000 steps each day. At the end of the day, write down the number of steps you took. If you didn’t achieve your goal, write down why.

There are few exercises as great as kickboxing. There aren’t many people that try kickboxing and don’t end up drenched in sweat, knowing that they just completed a big workout. Kickboxing is great not only for burning boatloads of calories but improving strength, as well.

Getting in shape is an ongoing process that lasts as long as you are committed to it. You can always learn new methods and techniques to keep you fit. Let these tips help you on that journey, and use them to provide ideas that you can use to make fitness a permanent part of your life.