New Year with a New Exercise and Fitness Program
Many people like to start the New Year with a new exercise and fitness program. You should start this before the winter holidays even begin. With cooler weather and shorter days there is a great temptation to stay inside, sit on the couch, and gain weight. By starting a fitness program before the holidays you can avoid the typical weight gain that people have during the holiday.
Working out in cool weather has many benefits. It can be invigorating to walk outside in brisk weather. It increases the benefits of your workout by increasing your metabolism by working hard to keep you warm. You burn more calories in cooler weather by burning more energy more quickly. You should be careful to stay hydrated when working out in cold weather as the body gives more subtle clues because you aren’t sweating as much.
The winter can give you a chance to try out an unconventional exercise. You could take up cross-country skiing or winter mountain climbing. You can join a mall walking organization and walk inside. You can take up ice skating or even go sledding with your kids. This will help to vary your workouts and keep them interesting. The more interesting your workouts are to you the more likely you will be to stick with them.
The winter time is also a good time to set up that treadmill that’s been in your closet for ten years. Set it up in front of the television and use that time to improve your health and fitness. By watching television as you work out you will keep your mind more entertained and make walking on a treadmill a much more enjoyable past time.
You should make use of every opportunity to exercise. Park your car farther from the entrance to the store or your place of employment and walk those extra steps. You can use the stairs instead of the elevator. Never waste an opportunity to walk a few more steps. All those extra steps will add up to extra pounds being shed.
You should set up a system of rewards to encourage yourself to stay motivated and to continue with your fitness regime. Your rewards can be things like a one-hour massage or a brand new outfit. Set your goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. This will help you to continue your routine for years to come.
You should give your program at least a month before changing it. Some fitness programs can start slowly and then kick in. Within a month you should start seeing results from your fitness program. If you change before a month you could set yourself back and that can discourage you. When you are discouraged you will be even less likely to exercise.
You can throw away the resolution to lose weight this New Year’s that everyone uses. By starting and sticking to your fitness program before and during the holidays you will start the year with a svelte and healthy body.
