Happy New Year! By now, we are a few days into 2018, and I know that there are many people out there (myself included) that are working towards their New Year’s resolutions. The start of the year is a great way to reset the mind, body, and soul. It is a breather that reminds us that we’ve done another lap around the sun, and it’s time to get up and prepare for another year. When I think of the start of a new year, I immediately think about how I am going to better myself through my exercise and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We all go through the same mind set, and we see the jokes starting around the internet about how it’s about to be the busiest week of the year in the gym; how you shouldn’t bother with a resolution that you know you’re not going to keep. All in all, there is a lot of discouragement that comes with trying to do something new.
We’ve all been through that stage of getting through the first week of a new lifestyle. We cut down on the unhealthy stuff, we exercise every day, we feel great. Unfortunately, as we end our winter vacations and get back into our every day routines before we had so much free time, we fall off track. Eating healthier becomes too difficult during a busy day. Exercising becomes a chore because of how terribly it fits in with everything else in your day. It starts to become a slow decline until you’ve lost sight of what you were trying to accomplish in the first place. Again, it’s discouraging and disheartening. Everyone wants to take care of their bodies so they’re at the best performance level they can be. So, when life gets a little too crazy, here are some small but impactful things you can easily do during the day to keep with your resolutions:
- Replace one household snack with fruits or veggies. They’ll keep you fuller than the snacks full of processed sugar and fats. Plus, they have FIBER.
- Stretch your muscles when you wake up and when you go to bed. After long days of working, or long nights of sleeping, your muscles can bunch up. Move them around as best you can to get the blood flowing and the neurons sending signals. Bonus: stretching technically counts as working out!
- Eat Breakfast. This one goes without saying. It really is the most important meal of the day because if you don’t have fuel to start the day, then you’re shot. It’s best to eat breakfast within the first hour of waking up. Try for something fueled with protein and vitamins.
- Stairs instead of elevators. This one is my personal favorite thing to do, because if you miss a workout for the day because you’re stuck at work, do a few laps going up and down the stairs. Nice quick workout, and you don’t have to break much of a sweat.
- Take some time for YOU. Along with physical health, remember that mental health is just as important. Taking time out of your day to exercise your mind can work wonders for you in the future. It allows you to center in on yourself as a person, and take a break from the surrounding world.
Here at Excel, we want you guys to have a great year and to continue with your goals and aspirations. These are just a few things that can help with that. And remember, if you want to try something new as for as exercise, there’s always doing a few laps at a pool!
-Taylor C