Spring Into Fitness

Spring is coming. And I can hardly wait for it.

Spring, for me, means warmer temperatures and more time in the great outdoors.

How about you? Are you excited about it? Well, maybe not if you suffer from allergies. And I can understand that. I take a Zyrtec daily, as well as two different inhalers. Hey, a person must do what a person must do. And, if you need meds to enjoy the great outdoors and experience fitness in nature, then be sure to be diligent. All it takes is one skipped day for allergies to knock a person in the dirt and ruin that daily, or weekly, fitness routine. Trust me, I don’t want that to happen to me. And I know you don’t want it to happen to you either.

Recapping Winter

So, how did the winter fitness routine go for you? Were you able to exercise indoors on bad days but get outdoors on not-so-bad days? Did you get to the gym? Or were you like me and just skipped a whole lot of days all bundled up like an Eskimo?

I know. Terrible of me. But I’m back on track. I’m back to doing my calisthenics each weekday. And I’m doing at least thirty minutes of walking-in-place on days I’m not able to get outdoors. I know, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I just had to get up and move!

Setting New Goals

We talk about setting goals all the time. But setting goals is important. And I’ve come to believe in setting new fitness goals each month. What worked last month, or this time last year, doesn’t always carry over to current a person’s needs.

Last year we were younger. Last month we may not have had a certain surgery. Last year we didn’t have the time. And maybe we do have more time to work out this month. Whatever the case, it’s always a good idea to reassess, periodically, what our fitness needs are – now.

For me, it’s getting back to doing my calisthenics more regularly. It’s adding back into my routine the lifting of weights. And it’s doing more aerobics – whether it’s more walking in the great outdoors, walking-in-place on not so sunshiny days, or doing an aerobic DVD, dancing, or other movement program.

Making A Plan

Let’s talk about making a plan to achieve our fitness goals. Once we’ve decided what we want to accomplish physically, we can decide how to get there. A few years ago, I was introduced to the 3-Step Plan. What’s that you ask? Well, you set three goals that are important to you. Then, you decide on three ways to reach each goal. The idea is reach all three goals within three months.

Have I used this plan? Yes, and for the goals that were important enough for me to complete, it worked out fantastically. I was so happy recently to run across the list I made back then. And I was impressed to see that I’d accomplished two of the three goals I had listed. Of course, this plan doesn’t work for goals you set which end up not being important enough to do or finish.

So, do I set an end date? Not really. Not with fitness goals. Only because my ultimate goal is make my new fitness goals a part of my daily or regular routine – until I need to reassess my needs again. But, if I were to use this plan for non-fitness goals again, then I’d probably strive to accomplish each one by a certain date.

Now, think about it. What would be three fitness goals you want for yourself this spring? Think about it. For me, I want to get back to my calisthenics. I want to lift weights regularly. And I want to walk more often. So, let’s use these as an example of how to use this 3-Step Plan. Okay, how would I (we) reach them?

Calisthenics. I have a new habit now since it’s been cold for a few weeks. Instead of doing my fitness first thing as soon as I get up, I sit and read my morning reflections – all bundled up. Fix: 1) Okay, I can start doing my calisthenics again first thing in the morning. 2) I’ll read after I’m done with my fitness routine, making fitness a priority again now that morning temperatures are getting warmer. 3) I’ll also put more focus into each calisthenics movement, rather than rushing through the workout because I’m so cold.

Weightlifting. I have some basic exercises and a few more targeted ones for arms and shoulders but would like the same for my legs and my core. Also, I love doing weights, but I get distracted with all the sets I have. Fix: 1) I’ll remove the weights I no longer use and pack away to sell later. 2) I’ll search for viable weightlifting exercises for my core and my legs. 3) I’ll develop a routine so each muscle group gets a workout twice per week.

Walking. I love to walk, and I feel walking is the best way for me to get fit, slim down, build my core, and improve my cardiovascular health. Fix: 1) I’ll set a timer to help me walk more outdoors before coming back indoors to write and market, do chores, and fix meals. 2) I’ll continue to walk-in-place for 30-minutes indoors during the hottest part of the day. 3) I’ll encourage hubs to walk with me and the pups in the evenings for a minimum of ten minutes.

Implementing Goals

Now that we have a plan, three goals and three ways to achieve each goal, we can set out to make it happen. What do you think will be the easiest? What do you think will be the most difficult?

Knowing me, I think the easiest will be removing my extra weights and the most difficult will be convincing hubs to walk with me and the pups each evening. I’m already excited just thinking about some of the ways to succeed at my new goals. Well, some ways are always on repeat, lol. But I’m curious if I’ll succeed or fail this time.

How about you? Are you ready to make your list? C’mon, it’s easy. List your three most important fitness goals. Losing weight? Getting buff? Slimming down? Letting go of sugar? Drinking more water? Whatever they are, write them down. Then, list your three ways to get each one to where you want to be, keeping in mind to adjust every so often for lifestyle or health changes.

Achieving Fitness

The important things to realize here is that we’re not heading to one result. We are simply listing three things we want to accomplish toward our overall health. Instead of listing things regarding exercise or getting physically fit, we can list things to let go of – like stress, snack binging, or endless sitting.

This, of course, brings us back to fitness. The body was made for movement. Tell me, how do you feel on a day when you get adequate movement versus when you’ve sat at a desk all day or been part of an all-day conference? Of course, if you’re a waitress on your feet all the time, the thought of movement may not be so appealing.

This is why no one fitness plan works for everyone. Each person has to assess what is best for their overall health. Perhaps you need more Zumba or meditation in your life. Or perhaps running is more your style to relieve stress rather than participating in a yoga class.

Assessing Current Movement

Now that spring is coming, we can assess our current needs and decide what we need to do for our bodies this year. Do we need more activity? More stillness and time in nature? Do we need to partner up with a friend or fitness coach who can get and keep us motivated?

Taking our jobs and our daily lives into consideration will help us decide what fitness or wellness plan to focus on. Sometimes just assessing where we are is enough to help us feel that we’re on the right track. When we listen to our body, it tells us what we need to do. We can choose to listen. Or we can choose to ignore it.

But whatever we do, there is no denying our body was made for movement. We can make it happy and move, move, move in our favorite ways. Or we can ignore it and feel how unhappy it becomes.

Let’s do ourselves a favor right now. Stand up. Now, close your eyes. How do you feel? What are your legs telling you? How about your core? And your arms or your neck? Think for a minute, in an ideal situation, how would you take your body from its current feeling to an overall better way of feeling?

If you aren’t sure, try the 3-Step Plan. It might surprise you with what you learn about yourself and your wellness needs. And, if anything, take a few moments to stretch, walk in place, and give yourself a hug. C’mon, no one is watching.

And if someone is indeed there with you, get them to join you and do the same. We should all feel good about ourselves and strive for more selfcare in our lives.

C’mon, let’s get up and move our bodies. Spring is coming and fitness is ours for the asking – and doing – if we just get up and move. Let’s spring into fitness and give – our bodies and overall health – a real treat!