Spring Fitness Tune-up

Ahhh Spring.  As the the sun and teasing warm weather bring us out of Winter hibernation, many are motivated to get in back in shape.  If you have been working out all Winter, nice work! For the majority of us who have not, keep these five tips in mind over the next few weeks.

Stretch - Remember to stretch smart.  Instead of stretching at the beginning of a workout when your muscles are cold and stiff, do a warm-up first.  Running, step aerobics, jumping jacks...whatever you want to do to get your muscles warmed up. Once warmed, stretch away!

Eat - When you are exercising more, you are going to work up a healthy appetite.  This is natural and it is important to eat well so you have the energy to keep up your exercise plan.  However, don’t use exercise as an excuse to eat more junk food.  A recent news article described a couple women who would run 3 miles in the morning and then, as a reward, buy a large pastry and coffee at Starbucks.  Their run burned less than half the calories that they consumed afterwards. So eat more, but stay away from the junk.

Start slow - If you’ve read our article about making exercise a daily habit (which is recommended), this tip doesn’t mean limit the amount of times you exercise each week but more the level of difficulty.  If you want to do circuit training, don’t start out with heavy resistance bands and an hour workout.  Instead, start with light resistance and do a 10 minute workout.  Pay attention to how you feel and think about how you will feel tomorrow if you push it too hard.  The idea is to do less (resistance, time, or speed) to start so you feel good enough for the next workout, and the workout after that, and so on.

Mix it up - It can be quite boring to do the same thing every time.  So if you are serious about getting in shape, find different exercises that excite you.  A great way to get in shape and make friends is to join a sports team (rowing, paddling, soccer, basketball, you name it!) or a local hiking or running group.

Rest - As the days stay lighter longer and social activities begin to pick up, it can be easy to neglect your sleep as you try to do more with your time away from work.  Don’t.  Getting a full nights sleep will keep up your immune system and your energy so you are able to truly enjoy your friends, hobbies, and exercises.

Whatever shape you are in, get out there! Now is a great time to improve your physical and mental health as you get ready for a great summer.