GET FIT FOR GOOD
Looking back on our favorite fitness tips from Season 1:
Breaking a sweat on a budget
In Episode 2, the guys from Music City Boxing reminded us how simple it is to get in a great boxing workout at home. All you really need is a mirror and some good running shoes. For an extra boost of HIIT cardio, buy an inexpensive jump rope. That will be SURE to help you break a sweat. And don’t forget yoga! All you need is a mat for that one. Some humans (sociopaths?) even like running long distances.
These days, there’s almost no kind of workout that you can’t practice from home. With Youtube workouts, online courses, and an abundance of “free trials”, there is no reason why you would NEED a gym membership. Hack the system!
You don’t need expensive equipment to work out from home either, there are thousands of exercises that you can do with your body weight that will yield shockingly great results. But hey, if you want some weight to add to your workout go ahead.
If you do decide to get a gym membership, don’t be afraid to ask for income based discounts, referral bonuses, or new member deals. Every dollar counts my friends!
Finding a kind of exercise that you LOVE
YOU MAKE TIME FOR WHAT YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY. So, simply put: don’t do workouts that make you hate your life and everyone around you.
Remember, every person is different. Your best friend may like a completely different exercise style to you, but that’s totally fine. For example, for a reason I will never understand, some people enjoy running. I’ve tried to be a runner a couple times in my life, none of which were successful. Turns out, I would rather put my hand on hot coals than go for a run every day. If I ever have to run for my life, I’ll probably just accept my fate and die. Guess what. IF YOU HATE DOING A CERTAIN WORKOUT, IT WON’T BE A SUSTAINABLE FOR YOU. So, why do we try to force ourselves to do something everyone else is doing?
BUT I absolutely love yoga. It makes me feel grounded, flexible, and fluid. Boxing makes me feel powerful. HIIT workouts push my body in unique ways and keep my heart healthy. And there are common themes throughout all of my exercise. Focus on my breathing, slow down, get rid of all distractions, and work hard.
Take some time to find what exercise you truly love. In the process, you’ll definitely find some things that you don’t like. That’s okay! Move on to something else. You’re bound to find something that you enjoy eventually.
Mixing it up
Odds are, if you’re reading this, you aren’t a robot (but hey, you never know). In the same way that eating the exact same 3 foods for the rest of your life would be boring, so is doing the same workout every day. First off, your body gets used to a certain kind of exercise. It’s good for you to shock your system some days and do a different style of workout than usual. For example, as I mentioned earlier, I mix up my workouts with boxing, yoga, HIIT, Pilates, barre, walking, and hiking. Also, being active with friends (if co-vid ever ends) swimming, kayaking, or playing volleyball is a great way to get your heart rate up!
Accountability
There are some days when you need an outward motivator to get you moving, and that is totally normal. None of us are fitness robots who wake up feeling energized every day. If someone says they are, they’re lying. So, find a friend who will encourage you and do the same for others! Stay tuned for more tips on this, as next week’s blog post will be focusing on accountability and other unique ways to make and maintain routine.
Habits form one day at a time. So, commit to learning and don’t make excuses. It’ll become a routine in time, but for now keep hustlin’.
Written by Ellen Hogan
Based off of interviews with:
Lauren, owner and instructor at Shakti Power Yoga (EPISODE 7)
Stephen and Cody, co-owners and instructors at Music City Boxing (EPISODE 2)
