The holidays are officially over. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your first week back to reality. To celebrate the first Monday of 2016, we’ve compiled a list of tips to get yourself back into your workout routine or to conquer your fitness New Year Resolution head-on. Let’s get the obvious ones out of the way first: drink more water, get lots of sleep, and eat healthy. Prepare: Schedule your daily workouts for the week and lay everything out/pack the night before. Having a workout buddy creates accountability, which you are less likely to cancel on. Create a motivational playlist, binge watch a TV show to during your workouts, or read a great book. This helps you look forward to your workouts. Track your progress with a journal. It will motivate you to continue reaching your goals. Assemble an inspiration board to motivate your daily workouts. Feet are at their largest later in the day, so shopping for sneakers is recommended at this time. Monitor workouts with a fitness tracker. A small cup of coffee before a workout “helps improve stamina, strength, and speed,” according to PopSugar.com. Working out in the morning burns more calories. Doing light cardio before toning workouts helps prevents injury and soreness. When running up hills, keep your eyesight at the top of the hill. Breathing airways open up easier this way, rather than looking down at your feet. Scheduling personal training sessions with an instructor every few months ensures you’re continuing with proper form and enlightens new workouts. By doing a physical activity every day, your body and mind will develop this healthy habit. Take at least one day off weekly. However, this doesn’t mean to cut out physical activities completely. You can take a walk, do a simple yoga class, or take a scenic bike ride around the neighborhood. Eat slowly–your mind takes longer to process that your stomach is full. For diets, allow yourself a cheat day/meal once a week. This helps you stick to your diet rather than breaking it altogether. Sign up for a fitness event, like a 5k. Training to reach this goal will be rewarding when you cross the finish line.
