Have a buddy. Having
a friend meet you at the gym or check out a new spin class is a really great
way to keep yourself accountable AND have fun. You share the experience (what’s
that saying about misery loving company?! Ha!) AND if time permits, you can
enjoy catching up over coffee, lunch, shopping, or a cocktail (not every time,
but nothing wrong with a weekend mimosa here and there!). This past Saturday I met
a girlfriend for spin and afterwards we hit a local Mexican spot and sipped a
tequila on ice, ate a salad and went shopping afterwards. We got in a great
workout AND spent time together. Working out with a friend will no doubt push
you harder and even broaden your horizons and make you try a movement or class
you wouldn’t have otherwise. So go – call a close friend and make a workout
date!!
Switch it up. I’m
grateful to live in a large city like Atlanta, where ClassPass has more
fitness-related classes to take then you could possibly imagine. Within the
last 7 days I’ve taken a few Pilates reformer classes, a 90 minute hot yoga
class, some intense spin classes, crossfit-style bootcamp, and a yoga class
focused on hip and hamstring flexibility. It’s been so fun listening to my body
and uncovering strengths (holy strong quads and holy flexibility – I was
basically a human sweaty pretzel for the duration of my hot yoga class!) and
also realizing I have weaknesses (nearly puked once during spin and also came
to the realization I have the hand eye coordination of a toddler). Sure, I still
lift in the big box gym and won’t deny my trusty deadlifts and squats for long,
but its fun having fun with fitness. You meet people along the way, you see new
parts of town, and you challenge your body in ways it’s never been challenged
before.
Get creative in the
kitchen. Boy how I missed cooking last year. One of the best ways to take
your nutrition into your own hands is to quite literally, put nutrition in your
hands. Hit the farmer’s market and scour the aisles for fun, unique produce you’ve
never heard of before. Spend an hour a week looking up new recipes to try. And
experiment! Try a new cuisine or eat a few vegetarian meals throughout the
week. Not only does it feel good to
eat good, nutrient-dense food, but there’s no reason it can’t also be fun!
Listen to your body. Sometimes
I’m just not feeling it. Sometimes I know my body needs rest – and now I listen
to it. If you have pain beyond normal muscle soreness, listen to it. If you’re just being lazy, well, get off your ass and
move J
Even if it’s just a walk through the neighborhood – working out gets those
endorphins flowing! There are times when I KNOW my body is craving an intense
lifting session or a kick-butt kickboxing class. Other times I feel tight and
stressed and know how wonderful 90 minutes of hot yoga will feel. Get in touch
with your body and nourish it from the inside out!
I hope you put into practice at least one of the ways I make
health and fitness fun. There are far too many ways to take care of yourself –
so if what you’re currently doing isn’t fun or you feel like you’re in a rut,
CHANGE. Taking this approach is more holistic and will address your overall
health and fitness. Making it fun and committing to living a healthy lifestyle will make working out will feel less like a chore and more like a blessing!
XO,
Jenn
No comments:
Post a Comment