Fall is a great time to get in shape

Happy Monday Fit Friends!  By now, most people are back into a 'normal' routine after summer vacations and prepping for a busy holiday season.  That's why fall is a GREAT time to start leading a fit life.  Here are some ways to jumpstart your active lifestyle right now!

*Take it outdoors!  Take advantage of milder temperatures, beautiful colors, and all of the fun activities fall has to offer.  Enjoy the changing leaves on a nature hike, enjoy a pumpkin patch & corn maze with the family, hunt, or sign up for one of the many races offered nationwide each fall.  Just be sure to dress for the weather - you may need to layer your clothing so you can shed layers as the temps rise or add them in the evening as temps drop.

*Enjoy the abundance of fresh produce!  Pumpkins, apples, squash, etc. are all great fall staples.  Bake apples with cinnamon and top with a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt for a low cal comforting dessert.  You can add and substitute pumpkin into almost any baking recipe for an added health boost (more recipes related to that later).

*Take this time to make 1 small change a week.  For most people, this is the 'lull' between the nonstop summer activity & the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  That makes it the perfect time to adopt new, healthy strategies so they are habit before the holidays.  Add a serving of veggies to every meal, cut out 1 soda a day, switch to a natural sugar substitute (i.e. Stevia), drink one more glass of water...whatever the change is, make it small, but stick with it.

*Enjoy some 'down time.'  With today's hectic lifestyles, it's important to take time for YOU every single day.  Read a book, take a bath, go for a walk, etc.  Just do something that helps destress you.

*Enlist the help of your support system to help you reach your goals.  Find a workout buddy.  Talk to your family about your wellness goals and let them know how they can support you.  Talk to me about how we can work together to make a plan that helps you reach the level of fitness and wellness you've always wanted.

Don't wait for January 1st to make changes - start living the life you want and deserve TODAY.

I'm Back!

Good morning Fit Friends!  After an extended summer break from blogging, I'm back and ready to go.  Be ready for more fit tips, healthy recipes, and must have products in the coming weeks to keep you motivated and active all winter long!

What's the best time to work out?

What is the optimal time for exercise? Is it before the sun comes up? Is it during your lunch break? Maybe after dinner and before bed (burn off that extra helping of potatoes)? It's a question asked by many and leads to excuses from many more. The answer, to the surprise of more than a few is simple: ANYTIME THAT WORKS FOR YOU!






Some people perform better when they first wake up...or use exercise to wake them up. Maybe they're morning people or due to hectic schedules the early morning is the only time they can commit to exercise. Whatever the reason, for people who work 'normal' day jobs or have small children at home, early morning workouts may be the best option.






Are you doomed if you can't / don't want to work out in the morning? Absolutely not! Plenty of people exercise after work or even after the kids go to bed. Some use their lunch break (walking with co-workers...utilizing the company fitness area...etc.) to get their daily sweat session in. Your body doesn't really care WHEN you exercise, it's just thankful when you DO!






Some things to think about when you're determining the best exercise time for you:


*What time of day do you feel your best? (This may be the time you are most willing to make the commitment.)


*What time do you feel your 'crash' (maybe right before this time is a good time to exercise & give yourself that natural energy boost)?


*What time works best with your schedule? Do you have time in the afternoon?


*When do you have friends / family that can exercise with you? You're more likely to stick with it with a support system in place.


*Do you have a hard time sleeping shortly after exercise? If so, you won't want to do anything high intensity in the few hours before bedtime.






Whatever time works for you - schedule it and stick with it! And if you need help in creating a workable plan, let me know!

10 Tips to Squeeze in Exercise

One of the most common reasons people give for why they DON'T live an active lifestyle is a lack of time.  I believe that there are ways to incorporate exercise into your everyday life little by little.  Here are 10 strategies I've found to help combat this common obstacle.  They're not new strategies, but they work. ;)

1) Multitask - add simple body weight exercises to mundane daily life tasks - do squats while brushing your teeth, hold a static squat while drying your hair, do 20 jumping jacks while you're waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave, take the steps at work, park at the far end of the parking lot...by incorporating exercise into regular activities, it becomes more of a habit, and more manageable to fit into a busy schedule.

2) Walk the dog - if you're a pet owner, you know the importance of giving your pet time to exercise.  Walk with your dog daily...do intervals while you walk - 20 steps at a 'normal' pace, 20 steps at a brisk pace (if you're really feeling adventurous, jog a little).  By picking up the pace, you will not only walk FARTHER, gotten some fresh air, but you will have elevated your heart rate and helping the body to release endorphins (translation - instant mood boost).

3) Play kids' games - How do you balance time with the family and time for you?  Incorporate your kids into your workout!  Play tag, kickball, have races in the back yard...any number of things you did as a child.  You'll feel good knowing that you're getting to spend quality time with your family and instilling the importance of exercise in your children.

4)  Use commercial breaks wisely.  You've had a hard day and you just want to unwind in front of the TV.  Believe it or not, the TV is not the enemy.  Use commercial breaks to do pushups, ab work, lunges, jump jacks, etc.  You'll get approximately 3-5 minutes of exercise per break...so by the end of your favorite hour long show, you've gotten 20-30 minutes of exercise in.

5) Wake up 10 minutes earlier.  Use those 10 minutes to do cardio type activities - jumping jacks, jump rope, and more.  The first few mornings will be hard, but think about how good you'll feel all day long.

6) Bring on the video games - gaming systems such as the Wii have TONS of games that help you sneak in exercise.  The fitness specific ones are obvious choices, but even games like JUST DANCE will help get your heart rate going.  Play with the family (or friends) and laugh your way through a 30 minute workout.

7) Do walking lunges through the house when walking from room to room...or while waiting for your coffee to brew...do glute squeezes while waiting in line at the store (no one has to know and if they do, who cares?).  Strength training builds muscle and muscle burns more than fat.  Bye bye calories!

8) Bike or walk to work or walk during your lunch break.  You don't have to get super sweaty in the middle of your workday, just get up and get moving.  Most jobs today require hours of sitting - super hard on the body.  Get the blood flowing and avoid that nasty mid afternoon energy crash.

9) Schedule your workout!  Simple, yet effective.  Put your workout down (in writing or text) on your daily calendar.  Treat it the same way you would treat a doctor's appointment.  Don't give yourself an 'out.'  I bet after the first month it becomes habit. ;)

10) Recruit a friend - we all wish we had more time with our friends.  Make a workout date of it!  Go walking, take a class, hire a trainer together, whatever!  Research indicates that those who workout with a friend stick with fitness programs together.  Your BFF lives 3 states away?  Make a phone date - use your phone call time to go for a walk.  By the end of the walk, your conversation will probably involve shorter sentences (as you catch your breath), but once again, just get moving!

Looking for more ways to incorporate exercise into your daily life?  Contact me to set up an individualized plan that will work with YOUR schedule.  

Welcome!

Hi!  Thanks for checking me out!  I've created this blog in hopes of inspiring and encouraging others on their journey to leading a healthy, active lifestyle.  In the time ahead, I will share my personal journey, some tips that have been helpful for me, thoughts, feelings, and affirmations.  I hope you check back frequently!


If you're looking for help on your own fitness journey, check out my website: http://www.solumfitness.com for more information.  Enjoy & have a great day!