You Can Do It!!!
It’s January and we all know what that means. We are all going to start, resume or attempt to exercise and eat better in the new year! That’s right we are two weeks in and the gyms are packed daily with committed fitness soldiers on a mission to rid their bodies of all they consumed in 2007. Treadmills have waiting lists, cardio-busting classes are overflowing and the sounds of men (and women) grunting through every rep of a leg press is like music to our ears. Even my Tae-bo class, which is generally not too crowded, was super packed on Saturday! We were all crammed in there jabbing away the pounds and sweating out the toxins. But this is what you can expect for at least the next couple of months. I don’t mean to be a pessimist, but we have all seen it so many times in the past. By mid-February, the gyms become a little quieter and by March it’s a bit eerie how few people are working out next to you. People begin to drop off one by one like flies and exercising soon becomes a faint memory. Well that is until May when they start up again for swimsuit season.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions anymore but prefer to set goals for myself. This year I said I wasn’t going to allow myself to slack this winter on my exercising. Each year I tend to fall back, like most of us, on working out during the winter. But I actually set this goal back in October and so far I am doing pretty good. I did go to Tae bo twice this week! I can’t feel my thighs from the 200 squats, but I went! I have to say if it weren’t for my girlfriend, who has literally been my exercise buddy since 2002, I would be making up all sorts of excuses for why I couldn’t go. She has a hubby and a three-year old, so if she says she’s going I have absolutely no excuse. So I say to you — YOU CAN DO IT! You can actually keep your resolution this year to workout regularly and eat healthy. You absolutely can do it! I look at my girlfriend and she motivates me because she schedules the time to work out even with all that she has going on. So how do you stay focused when it’s tempting to slack on that New Year’s resolution? Well, of course you know I have a few tips. Give them a try!
Get an exercise buddy. Having someone that you can workout with really, really helps. You all can be a great source of motivation for each other as you aim to achieve your goals. You don’t have to be on the treadmill at the same time or even take the same class, but having that person go regularly with you will push you to stay on track.
Be realistic about your schedule. If you know that mornings are just a crazy time and you find you are always missing your workout, find a different time. This is probably not the best time for your body or mind. Maybe it’s evenings or the baby’s nap time. Just find a time in your schedule that you are most likely to stick to.
Create a vision board.Grab a poster board, glue, scissors and some magazines. Cut out images and words that reflect your goal. When we can look everyday at what we want to accomplish for ourselves, it becomes second nature and we believe it will happen. If you want to be healthy and have a fit body, identify positive images of just that. Then place your vision board where you can see it everyday as a reminder of what you want.
Do a little shopping. Sometimes we feel better about working out if we have comfortable, but cute clothes to do it in. I don’t believe in breaking the bank on workout clothes, but I do believe in quality. My favorite place to find these items is Filene’s Basement (Marshall’sis pretty good too). They always have Puma, Nike, Danskin, and Addidas warm up pants and tops at half the price. Be careful, because you can get carried away by all of the great finds.
Create a playlist.Nothing gets me through a workout like my music! Load up some of your favorite songs that you like to groove to and get on that treadmill. You would be surprised how much further you can go when you have music. Beyonce, Janet, Justin, Amerie, and Mary J always keep me going!
Remember YOU CAN DO IT!!!
