July 30, 2010
Make a wall calendar just for listing workouts. This way you see one important thing every day and you see it often. This also helps you cross-train. Mine lists my workout classes that I teach and my off days read yoga or run or walk with the stroller, etc.
Put one sneaker in front of the other. Do this by sleeping in your gym clothes and put your sneaks and sports bra by the bed. Many of us waste too much time saying we need to work out but dread the process. Trick yourself by just getting dressed for it and not really thinking about the next step. If you take it one step at a time, before you know it you will finish the cool-down and feel amazing.
Make yourself an upbeat iPod play-list or CD and dance around as you straighten up at home; find a hip-hop or African dance class at the gym; learn to bellydance at an adult education class or at the Y; plan a girls' night out dancing. You can find a great list on my website.
Make active dates to see friends and family and do something that doesn't involve eating and drinking. Walk through the park, go biking in summer, ice skate or cross country ski in winter, walk the mall, take a yoga or cardio class, or run on a treadmill right next to my friend.
Eat fiber. I love Fiber One cereal with berries in the morning, an apple in the afternoon, and Fiber One chocolate oatmeal bars for desert. It is my flat belly secret!
If you have to be at a restaurant, identify the 3 healthiest things on the menu and pick between those.Take a doggy bag home.
Don't eat any bad food that is lying around the office. Bring healthy snacks to your desk that are sweet and/or salty, like whole wheat crackers, almonds, grapes, or chocolate soy milk.
Buy a slow cooker so that you can prepare a healthy meal in the mornings, and its ready for you when you get home (its like having a personal chef at home all day, and gives you that extra hour for exercise!)
Drink no more than 2 alcoholic beverages at parties and events (if necessary, cut extra drinks with spritzers) and have a snack before these events so you don't attack the buffet line.
Drive less and walk more. Even when I was 8 months pregnant I walked 35 minutes to work and 35 back home again, quickly! You can do it too. Also, take the stairs when possible and never go a day without some exercise.
Invest in a gym membership, if you don't have one already, and use it. If you don't have the money right now, buy an inexpensive workout DVD like my Military Wife Workout at nikkifitness.com or amazon.com.
Weigh yourself everyday to remember your goals and feel good about the choices you made yesterday.
Keep reading health and fitness columns online, subscribe to weekly e-mailed fitness tips like mine for regular inspiration, and subscribe to fitness magazines. Whether it's a new and healthy dish you can make, news about a recent medical study, interesting moves to try at home, or another person's story about how they reached their goals, any inspiration will help.
Pass this advice along.
I saw a quote once that said "You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most." So hang out with people you want to be more like - healthy, positive people!
Fitness - fit it in.
Nikki
NikkiFitness, Nicole Glor, is an AFAA certified NYC personal trainer, group fitness instructor at Crunch in Manhattan and Nicole Glor, NikkiFitness is a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, DVD creator and fitness columnist for Military.com. Her workouts focus on multitasking toning and cardio intervals to cut workout time in half and boost metabolism. She has 4 DVDs on Amazon including the new Fit Travel Workout DVD, Booty Camp, Military Wife Workout and the Beach Bride Destination Wedding Workout. Newly released: Baby Bootie Camp DVD. Coming soon: Hard Core Abs. Get her newsletters, music playlists, video demos and DVDs at www.nikkifitness.com