Family Fitness

Staying Fit Through the New Year

Michelle Adams, Fitness Director, Palos Health and Fitness Center

Once the holidays have come to an end and we’re faced with widening wastelines and optimistic resolutions, how do we keep the momentum going for a continued fit new year?  Try these tips to get you on your way to a healthier and fitter you!

Determine Your Goal:  Instead of just jumping on the treadmill and hitting the weights, begin with a solid plan for what you truly want to achieve…and write it down!  If weight loss is a goal, exactly how many pounds would you like to lose?  Over how long of a period of time?  If diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis or other chronic condition is a concern, the goal may be to have lower blood sugars, better blood pressure readings, and less achy joints.  Whatever your goal, make it your own and keep written track of your progress.

Stay off the Scale:  We all have them and most of the time want to stay away from them.  However, when it comes time to lose weight we hop on and off the scale in hopes to see the number fall day by day.  But the truth behind weight is that it fluctuates on a daily basis (by a pound or so) due to a myriad of factors primarily hydration level.  Seeing your weight change up and down on a daily basis can be frustrating and can tempt us to fall off the bandwagon.  Instead of weighing yourself each morning, choose one day of the week to step on the scale, and don’t hop on again until the following week.  It’s also a good idea to consider seeing a personal trainer or fitness specialist to have an overall fitness evaluation.  These assessments typically monitor aspects of your personal fitness other than weight such as cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and flexibility, which can be great determinants of your progress through the new year other than the scale alone. 

Find a Workout Buddy:  There’s nothing better to keeping you accountable for fitness than having someone to report to.   Whether your workout buddy is a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor, you’ll each keep each other on track when the temperature dips low and energy levels fall into a slump.  To keep things interesting, try alternating days or weeks when each person is responsible for “creating” the exercise program for the day.  You’ll become one another’s personal coaches!  

Create a Workout Song List:  In today’s era of MP3 players, Ipod’s, and burnable CD’s, becoming your own personal workout DJ is easy!  Create 3 or 4 different “playlists”of music that you love and keeps you going.  You may even consider creating a different list for days that you do different types of exercise---from strength training songs to walking the dog songs, you’ll keep your body in tune to the music and keep your motivation high!

Make it a Part of Your Life:  Quick diet fads sound great and come with fantastic claims, but the truth is, they’re just fads.  Just as quick as leg warmers and big hair went out of style, so does a diet fad.  Experts have been saying for years that healthy weight loss and ultimate health and fitness are all about making smart eating and exercise a part of your lifestyle.  In a society so focused on instant gratification, it’s hard to remember that the good things in life don’t come easy or quickly.  Take your steps to fitness day by day, and remember that there will always be good and bad days.  The slow and steady course will keep you on the path to starting 2008 with the ability to choose a new resolution and keeping “losing weight” on the list of accomplishments in 2007.