What's My Motivation?

With the New Year just around the corner, there is no doubt you're thinking of ways to improve yourself in the coming year. If you're considering making a health or fitness resolution, how you go about accomplishing your goals is important, too. Knowing what motivates and inspires you to work hard can help make your 2018 resolutions successful.

1. Work out with a friend: Having someone to get up early with for a walk or to accompany you to a group class always makes things a little easier and more fun! You can push each other to show up even when it's cold or one of you is tired. Your walking buddy can even be four-legged! 

2. Hire a personal trainer: Let's face it - we all perform better when we are being held accountable to someone. Letting a great trainer show you the ropes and keep you on track is a great way to be successful in 2018. A knowledgeable personal trainer can also make sure that you're performing exercises that are both effective and safe for your age and fitness level. This is a particularly good idea if you have injuries or ailments, like a back problem or arthritis.

3. Fitness tracker/competition: Who doesn't love a little healthy competition? There are plenty of apps, trackers and programs that let you go head-to-head with others to help you reach your fitness goals. Get a Fitbit and challenge your friends through the app or on Facebook. See if you can get others at your job involved in a fitness challenge. Often, personal trainers run fitness and weight-loss challenges, offering nice prizes as motivation for the winner. The results from that extra push to work hard will be a great prize, no matter who wins. 

4. Set goals: Vague or large goals can seem unattainable and daunting. Be sure to be as specific as you can be with what you want to accomplish. Don't just say, "I want to eat healthier in 2018." Think of ways you might achieve that. "I will always have a more colorful plate" or, "I will drink only water and tea throughout my day" are more specific goals and easier to follow. An ambitious goal of losing 50 pounds should be broken down into smaller, more manageable goals that are also specific and measurable. "I will not eat more than 1800 calories each day" or "I will go for a walk 3 times this week" are smaller benchmarks that will help lead you down the path to your larger goal. Also, be sure to celebrate the small victories along the way. This is another way to motivate yourself to make the next small step. 

Finding the right mindset and tools can mean the difference between success and failure in 2018. Good luck and happy New Year! 

Fitness on Vacation - taking your workout on the road

Summer time is almost here and that means VACATION!! If you’re finally into the swing of things with your fitness routine, don’t let your time off derail your progress. Keeping these five tips in mind can help you stay healthy while away AND let you jump back into your normal exercise schedule when you get back.

1) Stay in a hotel that has a gym or fitness room. This is the easiest way to keep up your routine. Just take the stairs down to the gym and fit in a quick workout before you head out for the day (or whenever it fits into your schedule). Doing this just twice for each week you’re away can make a big difference.

2) Body-weight exercises. As an in-home personal trainer, I have an arsenal of no weight/body weight exercises to use with my customers, but you really only need a few. Pushups, backwards lunges and planks are three simple exercises that are great bang for your (time)buck. A quick circuit of a few efficient exercises can be key to sustaining your workout routine when you’re away from home or strapped for workout space. Subscribe to my newsletter to find out a few of my favorite exercises!

3) Go hiking. If you’re in a scenic or rural area, find out where the best hiking is and GO! A state or local visitors’ center should be able to provide a map to trails in the area. If you’re visiting a city, see if there’s a national park within driving distance. Hiking has more health benifit than walking on flat ground because of the terraine. And it’s more interesting!

4) Walk everywhere! Once you’re at your destination, skip the car, cab and bus - just WALK! You’ll be surprised how many extra steps you fit into your day, and you’ll get to see more! Walking past attractions allows you to take in the scene better than just speeding past, so you’ll create better memories, too.

5) Find activities that keep you and your whole family moving: Swimming in the hotel pool or at the beach, surfing lessons, snorkeling or scuba diving. Rent a tandem or individual bikes, go kayaking or rafting... there are so many options! Get creative and get your family moving! Not only will you be keeping fit, you’ll be creating lasting memories in the process.

Remember: your vacation exercise routine doesn’t have to be as thorough as your home routine. Staying active while you’re away is great, so try to make choices that allow you to enjoy a healthy vacation. Good luck!