While I’m away this week, and since Christmas, the blog has been quite quiet, but I am so happy to have this guest post sponsored by FITMOM Ottawa to share with you today! I don’t share guest posts often but was happy to pass along Susan’s advice on a topic that I need to read more about myself. Read on and consider a few of these tips if ‘being active’ is on your 2017 list of resolutions.
5 Fitness Tips to Live your Healthiest Life in 2017
By Susan McDonald
There is always something so inviting, and rejuvenating about the New Year. It feels like the time to establish new goals, or revisit old ones. We often like to look ahead and take the steps to a healthier, happier self and this may include some fitness goals. Do any of these sound familiar to you?
- I want to be stronger
- I want to be more fit
- I want to run up the stairs faster
- I want to walk taller
- I want to touch my toes
- I want to run my first race
Whatever your goals are, you’ll need a solid plan to reach them. There will be times when the task seems difficult, or stressful – we all have those moments of doubt – but with the right support system, and the right plan, you can achieve your fitness and health goals.
Here are FIVE tips to help you live your healthiest life:
Find an activity you LOVE:
One of the most important gifts you can give yourself is to do something you LOVE. If you don’t love it, you won’t do it. It’s as simple as that! Choose your fitness activities and work out routines with this in mind.
Schedule it and book a babysitter:
Whether it’s a weekly class that you enjoy or an evening with friends, you need to put it in your calendar and block the time off. If you have small children, it can be really hard to get out of the house in the evening, especially if you have a partner who travels or works shifts. One of the best things you can do is invest in a neighbourhood babysitter. Ask around and you’ll find lots of teenagers looking to earn some extra money through babysitting.
Make it social:
For many people, fitness isn’t an individual activity; they need the social aspect to enjoy it. Find some friends and join a fitness class together. It’s a great way to stay in shape and keep up with each other! When you join with a friend, you’ll have some extra accountability to help you reach your goals.
Track your progress:
There are many ways you can measure your progress. If you’re running, you can track how far and fast you’re going. If you’re going to a bootcamp class, you can track how often you’re attending and how long it takes to recover each week. If you’re a regular at a yoga class, you can track how hard it is to do certain poses each week, and how the difficulty level may be changing. You can also take measurements periodically. If you set a goal to work out twice a week, write it down in your calendar to help remind you to get there. Finally, there’s a large selection of fitness trackers and apps that can also help keep you in line.
Make it achievable:
Set yourself up for success when you map out your fitness goals by keeping in mind your current schedule, day-to-day activities and existing commitments. If your goal is to get out five times a week for one hour each time, but your job is very demanding and you often tend to work many extra hours, this may not be realistic. Start by thinking about what you can realistically commit to – maybe it’s twice a week for 30 minutes or maybe it’s four times a week for only 15 minutes. Trying to take on too much to start is often discouraging. Small, achievable steps may help ramp up your goals as the year goes on.
Set your goals, choose something you love, develop a plan, build in some accountability and measure your success to help you achieve a happy and healthy 2017 full of fitness, fun and more.
Susan McDonald is an experienced certified personal trainer and an expert in the area of pre and post-natal fitness. She is the proud owner of FITMOM Ottawa, where she has offered prenatal fitness, mom and baby fitness and boot camps for women in Old Ottawa South, New Edinburgh and Ottawa West for more than 6 years. Susan is the mom of two teenagers and recognizes the benefits of taking time for herself on a regular basis!
