10 TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THE NEW YEAR
1. Find What Motivates You
There are many ways to find the motivation to get and keep yourself heading in the direction toward your fitness and wellness goals. One of the best ways I have found motivation is by signing up for an upcoming race. By registering for a race I create a concrete deadline and goal for which I know I need to work towards. Another great way to get and stay motivated is to join a competition or challenge. At Fortis & YOGALUX we offer different Class Challenges throughout the year. These challenges are a fun way for our members to stay motivated and even get out of their comfort zone by switching up their workouts (we will get into this later) You can create individual challenges between you and your friends.
2. Get a Workout Buddy!
What better way to keep yourself accountable than by having a workout buddy? One such way to do this is by hiring a Personal Trainer. Not only will you get the knowledge and expertise of the trainer, but they will keep you accountable both to your schedule and also make sure you do that extra set or rep that you might just leave out if you were on your own. If Personal Training is not in your budget or just not for you, you can always take the old-fashioned approach and just make an agreement with a friend. Coordinate your schedules so you take the same classes or meet at the same time to go through your workouts together. Of course, there is the beauty of technology! Using apps such as My Fitness Pal, Run Keeper, MapMyFitness, or native apps on your smartphone; you can connect with friends across the country, and the world, or compete in groups to reach certain goals.
3. Find Your Routine
Treat your workouts like appointments! Schedule the classes or workouts you want to take in advance in your calendar. This is a great way to keep yourself on a routine and coming more consistently! At Fortis & YOGALUX, we offer our class schedule on our Mobile App. This gives our members and clients the ability to sign up for classes ahead of time and automatically sync it to their phone calendars!
4. Mix Up Your Workouts
Getting into a routine doesn’t mean doing the same workout or activity every day! In fact, you should consciously choose to mix up your workouts. By changing up your activities you will prevent yourself from getting bored, or even worse plateauing. Personally, I make sure I do at least one of each of the following In a given week: Hot Yoga, Boot Camp or Weight Training, Yoga-Sculpt, and medium to long run. I do love working in new and different types of classes such as Boxing or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)! This way I never get bored and I continue to push myself to try new things!
5. Enjoy Some Home Cooking
I can’t stress enough how big of a difference this can make! Not only will your bank account thank you, but your body will too! Having control over the ingredients that go into your body will help you limit things like added sugar, sodium, preservatives, and more. Don’t get me wrong, I still love going out to eat, but it makes it more special and fun when it’s not the norm. One simple trick I do is that I make double or triple portions of meals I can use the leftovers for lunch or dinner over the next few days. I also pick one night per week that I dedicate to meal prepping. If you need to ease into meal prepping there are also several companies who will do it for you. Blue Apron, or Hello Fresh, are just a few but there are so many to choose from. Many of them will even cater to your dietary needs such as Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, etc.
6. Keep a Food Log
This is something that has been very enlightening for me. You don’t realize all of the things you eat…or don’t eat, on a daily basis until you write it down. I use My Fitness Pal as I mentioned before, it is simple to use and it’s on my phone so I always have it with me. Having a food log also makes me stop and think about everything I am putting into my body; because I have to write down what I eat, I hold myself accountable.
7. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
This is my biggest challenge; I never drink enough water! It is so simple though and makes me feel so much better. I sleep better when I am well hydrated, my body responds better to my workouts and I feel less hungry. I don’t recommend going gangbusters on the water right away, it’s best to ease into it. Try adding one extra cup every day for a week and see how you feel after that! I try to have a refillable bottle within arm’s reach at all times, especially when sitting at a desk.
8. Make Time for Recovery
This doesn’t mean sitting on the couch and doing nothing all day! Recovery should be an active engagement and can take many different forms. The most important thing is to listen to your body and know when you need a break. One of m favorite active recovery activities is to take a long walk on the beach! It doesn’t put too much strain or stress on my muscles or joints, and it allows me to get my blood flowing and break up the lactic acid that has built up from my workouts. Another one of my favorite active recovery activities is to take a Restorative or Yin Yoga Class. These types of classes also help open up tight muscles and break up the lactic acid but don’t necessarily cause you to break a sweat. Of course, there are always massages too!
9. See the BIG picture
Remember your health and wellness are not some tests you can cram for. See the big picture and remember that this is a lifestyle, not a crash course.
