8 Ways to Wake Up Your Workout
By Sandy Schroeder
As the year rolls ahead, most of us would love to find some inspiring new answers for healthy workouts. If you keep thinking how great it would be to exercise more and weigh less, it is all possible. Make moving a priority by shaking everything up.
Put the fun back in your workout - Take a few minutes to think about the sports or other activities that have been the most fun. You may be a former golfer, tennis player or volleyball champ. Or you may have spent a lot of time biking, hiking or boating. Add one of your favorites to your weekly workout.
Make your workouts official - Pick the most comfortable time for your workout and then book it into your schedule as a regular appointment to make sure it happens. If it does not happen, have a backup plan for walking or jogging after work or doing mat exercises in the evening.
Look for something new - If you have always been tempted to try a climber's gym, or kickboxing, this may be the time to do it. Other options might be a ballet studio workout, swimming in your community's warm water pools, or doing high energy dance sessions.
Add some new moves to a gym workout - Instead of following your usual treadmill path, consider adding a spin class or a yoga session. Take a look at the classes offered and try a few new ones.
Work out more at home - Get the family involved by adding some workout options to your family room. A treadmill, stationary bike, small weights and resistance bands, and an exercise mat may motivate everybody to workout in between TV shows or video games.
Exercise some cleaning options - There are a lot of cleaning tasks that qualify as exercise. Add a new one each week. Clean the windows, clean out the garage, vacuum or wax the floors and clip a few bushes. If that works, move on to paint a room or refurnish a chest.
Get outside to move more - Exercise lifts the spirit and so does time spent outdoors. When work seems endless, make the weekend an active one biking, hiking, or running. Camp with your kids or check for community wilderness and nature hikes.
Move more at work - Researchers say even a little exercise helps counteract the impact of sitting all day. Keep your sneakers in the car and bring an exercise mat to work to use after lunch. Use your morning and afternoon breaks for short walks, and try to move for five to 10 minutes for each hour that you sit.
Whatever you do to exercise more, may prove to be contagious, generating more activities that lift your spirits and shed some pounds.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Brea, Calif.