Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Congratulations! You’ve decided to get started with your fitness journey! Now what?

Deciding that you want to begin a regular exercise routine can be a big step, but once you make that decision, getting started can be intimidating. Here are some simple steps to take to get you on the right track. It’s important to note that you should receive clearance from your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.

1. Figure out what type of exercise you enjoy. If you have exercised in the past, what did you enjoy doing then? What type of exercise sounds enjoyable to you? Do you enjoy group classes, exercising with a friend, or by yourself? Do you enjoy being outside or prefer indoors? Ask yourself these types of questions. It’s important that you find some enjoyment in the exercise that you are doing, otherwise you are less likely to stick with it. If you aren’t sure what you enjoy, try a few different classes, try going for a few walks, try out the exercise equipment in the fitness center, or schedule a fitness evaluation with the fitness staff so they can give you guidance.
2. Make a schedule. Another great way to make sure you stick with your exercise routine is to make a schedule. Figure out how many days per week you are going to exercise, what time of day, and how many minutes. It will vary depending on everyone. In general, I recommend starting with 2-3 days per week for 20-30 minutes. The time of day will depend on if you are a morning person or evening person. Whenever you feel you have the most energy or have room in your schedule is when you should schedule your exercise.
3. Find your “Why”. Why did you decide to start your fitness journey? Your first thought might be something straightforward, such as to improve your balance, to move better, to get stronger, etc. Try taking it a step farther. Why do you want to move better? The answer to that could be anything, but an example may be something like “So that I can do more activities with my grandkids.” It’s important to have a strong enough reason why you are starting or continuing your exercise program, so that on days you don’t feel like doing it, you can come back to that reason and remind yourself why you are doing it.
4. Give yourself grace. I think another part of getting started with an exercise routine that can be intimidating is thinking that it must be all or nothing. As a fitness professional, I am all about helping people find ways to make exercise a part of your daily life, but that doesn’t mean your whole routine and progress is thrown off if you miss a day or even a week. Sometimes things happen, you get sick, or your spouse has medical issues, or a family member needs help, or anything unplanned happens to throw off your schedule. That’s OK! We can’t prepare for these things, so it’s important to not be too hard on yourself if your exercise routine gets pushed aside while you’re dealing with whatever is going on. All you can do is start back up once things have calmed down.

How do you plan to make your health and fitness a priority this year?

As the festive season draws near, the anticipation of joy, celebration, and connection fills the air. Yet, for many of us committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the holidays can also bring a sense of unease. The abundance of indulgent feasts, tempting treats, and busy schedules can pose challenges to our well-established routines.

But fear not! Setting healthy goals can be the compass that leads us through the festivities with balance, mindfulness, and a genuine sense of well-being.

What are goals and why should we set them?

Goals help us envision what our future will look like, it’s an intentional plan or activity we set out to achieve. We can use our goals to decide where our priorities lie. Goal setting provides focus and increases motivation. It is also important to limit the number of goals we have at one time, so we do not get overwhelmed. If this is something you are struggling with, it can be helpful to set smaller or short-term goals leading up to a larger or long-term goal.

Adjust behaviors to meet your goals.

For every goal you set, you will need to change your behavior to achieve the goal. It may help to think about the consequences of not changing the behavior vs. changing the behavior to keep motivation to continue working towards the goal at hand.

SMART goals and getting started.

People are more likely to achieve goals that meet the SMART criteria: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. We can use this information to get started setting our next goal. Start with writing the goal and what makes this goal specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. Once you have all these answers, you can put it all together and begin working towards achieving this new goal!

Transform this holiday season into a time of self-discovery, growth, and joy. Are you ready to set sail on a path that honors your well-being? Let's embark on this adventure together and emerge from the holidays not just unscathed, but stronger and more connected to our health goals than ever before.

Share your healthy focus this holiday season in the comments! 

A member recently asked me how they can stay active while they are traveling or otherwise unable to make it to the gym. Here I’ll discuss several different topics to address the issue, taking into consideration space, time, equipment, and the individual’s goals. Our members’ ages are between 67 and 100, so the goals will vary depending on functional ability.

Making Space for a Workout

The first issue I want to talk about is space. If you are traveling to a hotel or condo, you might have a gym or studio on site that you can use. If you are in a camper or RV, plan to be outside under a canopy or in a separate area at the campsite. Some members are going to another house for the summer and they have planned on having an extra bedroom to complete their workouts. Most workouts can be completed in a 10-foot by 8-foot space.

Finding Time for a Workout

The next issue to consider when you’re away from your normal gym is time. Making time while on vacation or a road trip is a must. Keeping to a specific time each day can help keep you consistent. If you can’t keep one specific time, pick a time later in the day that you need to have your workout completed by. Working with a partner or trainer can help keep you consistent, too.

Equipment for Working Out While Traveling

The equipment that you use will probably be modified depending on your space and where you travel. Keep this in mind when you work on your program. Remember that body weight and unstable environments, as well as tempo, can create more progressive movements. You can also get a stretching mat, resistance bands, a stability ball, or small weights. You may also want some music to keep you moving. Here are some workouts that don't require equipment.

What Is Your Fitness Goal?

The last and probably most important aspect of any workout will be goal setting. If your goal is to lose weight, gain weight, or develop more cardiovascular ability, you need to account for these when you plan for time, space, and equipment. Make sure that you keep a log of your workouts. While you’re not in your normal routine, this can be a huge benefit if you loose track of days or are not sure how many workouts you have completed in a month.

As winter approaches, many of us tend to slack on our workouts. I don’t know about you but on dreary, cold days all I want to do is put on a good movie and lay on the couch. The weather gets colder and there is less daylight available during the winter months, making it difficult to find time to get a workout in. Ever heard of the Winter Blues? Feeling down can contribute to decreased motivation as well. The happy feel-good hormone tends to decrease with the lack of sunlight and warm air.

 When winter starts to approach, I try to find new activities around the city to keep me moving and to give me a little motivation. Now is also a great time to start thinking about weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly goals. Setting small weekly goals that will lead up to a larger goal typically work best for me. One great way to stay motivated is to sign up for a race or trying a new fitness class. Whether it be a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon, having something to work towards could be just what you need to keep you inspired through the winter. I plan for a race by deciding what an achievable goal time should be; I am my own biggest competitor so this approach works best for me. Another way to keep that motivation would be to try a new group exercise class or fitness trend. There are unique fitness classes that are very efficient ways to burn calories. Who knows, a yoga class or exercise DVD might get you hooked and keep you coming back for more.

[Read more: Don't Wait Until You Feel Motivated to Make Healthy Changes]

One popular fitness trend right now is high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. I really enjoy these quick high intensity workouts because they are easy to fit in during those shorter days of the year. These workouts can be done virtually anywhere and you only need a short amount of time. These classes usually consist of a little competition mixed with an intense cardio session.

There’s no shortage of options for continuing workouts even if you have to move them inside for the winter. So before the winter months hit, I encourage you to find a new fitness class or to set some new goals to keep you motivated this winter season. Don’t let the cold days and holiday treats keep you from your goals.

Pop in those earbuds and get moving. Exercise and music go hand-in-hand for many gym-goers. Listening to music is a great way to make your work out more enjoyable. There’s nothing like cranking up an upbeat, energetic, song that adds a little pep to your step. An excellent motivator, music helps you to keep up with the pace of your workout, and inspiring lyrics keep you moving. Those specific beats and lyrics can encourage you work harder and push you to complete your workout. Keeping up with the beat provided by music can prevent you from slacking and help you power through to reach your goals. 

Music can also be a good kind of distraction. It can help distract you from the so called “pain” or “burn” of the workout. The music can help to take your mind off the exercise that is being performed and might even challenge you to complete just “one more” repetition or finish that last mile! Those catchy tunes can make working out more bearable rather than it being quiet and listening to yourself breathe. Listening to music allows you focus more on your workout and definitely makes it a little more fun!

Have you ever had a song come on and instantly you feel your mood improve? Music can elevate your mood and get you excited about working out too. It can give you that extra boost to make you more energetic and it might even get you “in the zone.”  Music can drown out external distractions so you can concentrate on the exercise.  It also might push you to keep moving until the end of the song. Music can put you in a positive mindset providing motivation and making your workout more enjoyable.

Select songs with that perfect beat. Put together a playlist that will keep your muscles pumping and your body moving or check out some of the latest music apps specifically made to jazz up your workout. Or, skip the playlist and check out this list of 5 music apps that you can install for some motivating tunes. Just like your workout, remember to periodically change your playlist. This can make your workout be more challenging and less predictable. The more enjoyable your music is the easier your workout might just be. So, crank up that music (just not too loud) and start moving to the beat of your favorite tunes!

As someone who exercises daily, I have fought myself on this topic. Why should I track my progress if I am feeling good about what I am doing? If I am working out every day, I will gradually see results and continue to climb that never-ending improvement ladder! Well, as it turns out, achieving goals more complicated than that.

Everyone hits a point in their exercise journey where they feel like they aren’t seeing results. In the beginning, your workouts are new and fresh! Heck, they might even be exciting! You are thinking about the endless possibilities and goals you're going to crush. Then the novelty starts to wear off around week three (at least, that is where I notice a downward trend). By the third week, you're starting to play a head game: “You’re tired. Why don’t you just take a rest today and just relax.? Its good to rest sometimes, right?” Then, it begins to snowball and eventually you notice you haven’t exercised in weeks. We have all been there.

And that's right where tracking your progress comes in. I will admit, at first I was skeptical. I thought, “I don’t need to do this. This is just an added ‘thing’ I have to do and I am already busy.”  Benefits of regularly tracking your fitness journey can include keeping your goals in sight and your accomplishments in perspective. It also helps you to become more mindful of why you are taking on regular exercise.

[Read more: Do you have a healthy relationship with exercise?]

When you have had a hard day at work, your kid(s) are screaming for attention or crying because you didn’t put their shoes in the right place, this is a great opportunity to go back and look at all the tracked progress you have made in your fitness goals – especially if you are planning on skipping out of your nightly or morning sweat session. Added stressors in our lives creep up on us and try to take over. If you haven’t laid out your goals or are not keeping a close eye on what you are trying to accomplish, then they could consume you and you may fall off the wagon.

I am not saying that tracking your goals will completely silence the “I need to quit” voice in your head. Other factors can (and sometimes will) lead to you needing to postpone your exercise routine temporarily. Fitness related injuries or family matters can require a pause. Those are outside influences we can’t control. If it happens to be you feeling like your exercise routine is just not for you anymore because you are tired and “over it,” make sure you look back and see all of the amazing progress you have made (which you can only do if you've been tracking your workouts), re-evaluate the situation, and continue to focus on your goals. Staying mindful and motivated by assessing your progress will help you realize that some of your goals have been met, and others are attainable. And of course, there's an app for that.

Were you one of the many people who made it a goal in 2018 that you were going to work out more and start focusing on your health? Then, perhaps as the days began to pass and you found yourself two months into the New Year, with nothing to show for your ambitious goal.

The shorter winter days and cold weather make it difficult to convince ourselves to get up and workout, when instead we could be on the couch watching a favorite TV show. But then the weather begins to get warmer, the sun shines longer, and everyone seems to feel a little bit more motivated and energized – because spring is right around the corner. If you're feeling a little more motivated, you might be wondering how you go from binge watching that TV show to committing to the fitness goal you made on January 1^st. Follow these simple fitness tip to put some "spring" in your step!

Be Realistic. If you haven’t been working out then the likelihood of you getting to the gym 5x per week is unrealistic. Start small with your goals and gradually work up from there. The goals you choose should be attainable. Once you have found yourself sustaining and keeping with your workout and fitness goals is when you should begin to increase your workload.

[Read More: Tips for An Effective Exercise Program]

Be Held Accountable. Ask a family member or friend to start this journey with you. Make gym dates and don’t cancel at the last minute. Your workout partner will help keep you on track and you can do the same thing for them. A partner is also a great person to vent and share things with. Did you splurge and eat that bowl of ice cream or miss the gym on Sunday morning? Share it with your partner. They will be there for you through your lows and highs but also push you to achieve your milestones!

Make A Plan. You’re geared up and ready to go get your workout on. Then, you step into the gym and you have no idea what you are going to do. We have all been there. Make it a point to not only plan out when you are going to work out but what you are going to do when you get there. Remember, plans are not set in stone. However, they help keep you on track and pointing toward that end goal.

It is time to take full advantage of what spring has to offer in helping to achieve your goals. I encourage you to use our recommended tips toward becoming a healthier you, and what better time to do it then now? Make a realistic exercise plan and join that Cardio Pump class you and your co-worker have been interested in. Get ready to say, “so long” to old man winter and “hello” to spring by jumping back into fitness!

If you've been considering a New Year’s resolution, "starting a regular exercise program" may have been on your list.  And why not? Starting an exercise program is a healthy choice that can help you feel better physically, mentally and even emotionally. In this blog we'll discuss four simple fitness tips that can help you stay on track with becoming more active.

First, start with an exercise plan and write it down on your calendar. This simple step of asking yourself to make a commitment can provide a regular reminder to keep you on track with your schedule and goals.  Ask yourself a few questions before solidifying your plan to ensure your fitness routine is maintained.

When and how will I exercise? Reserving the same time to exercise on a weekly basis will ensure you make your new fitness program a priority. Make sure the times to exercise are suitable for you and can be repeated without interruption. Choose activities you will enjoy to increase the likelihood that you'll keep coming back to your routine.  If you think exercising alone might make it hard to stick to your plan, then consider group fitness classes. Also, be realistic about your capabilities. If you can only exercise for 10-15 minutes then work within that time frame.  Some movement is better than none.

[Read More: 4 Fast Exercises For When You're In A Hurry]

Let's talk about some tips for ensuring success, staying on track and most of all making sure you continue to enjoy your healthy choices. Exercise doesn't have to be a pain or a nuisance. If you can find enjoyable activities, set reasonable goals you're much more likely to succeed and make this a lifestyle change, not just a New Year's resolution. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you go. 

Slow and steady wins the race. See your resolution as a lifestyle changer. You will be less likely to continue in the long-term if you are too hard on yourself and increase the intensity without proper preparation. Starting off with a low intensity program for only 10 minutes a session, 3 times a week is a good way to prevent injuries, avoid burnout and make your new routine a healthy habit. Keep your eyes on the prize and only worry about your capabilities. Comparing yourself to others physical abilities may discourage you and we all had to start somewhere!

Set the bar low (at least initially). When creating a healthy resolution focused on adopting regular exercise, set a goal that isn't focused on body weight. Becoming regularly active isn't an end game; it's a lifestyle choice and your goals should reflect that.  Life is busy and things happen that may modify our exercise program throughout the year. Setting a goal such as walking a 10k by June is more achievable than simply focusing on weight. As you feel good striving towards your goal, other achievements will be gained along the way. Remember you can also modify your resolution as long as it’s initially a reasonable expectation.

Bring a friend. Working out with a friend or partner can be the push you need to stay consistent. Consistency is key to achieving your goals and having a friend or partner is added support. Friends keep us accountable, motivated and in some cases a dose of healthy competition!

No matter the goal, remember that a fitness resolution is taking a step in the right direction to improve your quality of life. Keeping your eyes on the prize will reap benefits such as increased energy, healthier bones, and a positive attitude! Cheers to a healthy and active year!