Exercise your way into the New Year… and stick to it!

Are you looking to make a fresh start this year? Want to make healthy choices and incorporate exercise into your daily life? Start this New Year. Beneficial for your overall health and wellbeing, exercise plays a big role in weight loss by helping you reach your desirable weight as well as maintain your weight.

Improve the quality of your life and include exercise into your daily routine at home, work or even when playing with the kids this year. 

Step by Step...

Incorporating a healthy lifestyle is a gradual change and once you have decided to implement this change, it will reflect positively on you. These tips below will guide you and help you to achieve your goals for the New Year. 

At Home:

• Do housework yourself whenever possible (cleaning, ironing, cooking)
• Get up to change the TV channel instead of using the remote
• Do your own shopping and carry your groceries. Carrying light weight helps burn calories
• When the weather permits, go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both
• When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk
• Take the stairs whenever possible
• Wear walking shoes when going shopping and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall
• Get a rope and skip in your free time as this exercise burns a lot of calories and can fit in your schedule
• Stretch to reach items in high places and bend to look for items at the floor level
• Invest in a fitness home DVD and work out 30 minutes a day

Fit in some stomach strengthening exercises by doing 20 abdominal crunches after you wake up. Other 1-minute exercises include:

• 20 jumping jacks
• 20 abdominal crunches
• 20 skip rope jumps
• 20 leg lunges
• 20 squats

Play with your kids…

Play and recreation are important for good health. Look for opportunities to get active and have fun with the kids at the same time:

• Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity (like a picnic in the park)
• Carry your kids and play with them
• Chase your kids around the house (making sure it’s safe) or dance to music together
• When outdoors, play with a racket and ball, Frisbee or fly a kite together

Exercise with your friends…

• Enjoy your favourite physical activities with a friend and do them regularly
• Play your favorite music while exercising as it helps motivate you
• Join a recreational club that offers group classes for more commitment and motivation

Physical activity goes hand in hand with healthy eating. So, your new year’s resolution can be achieved when you balance both. Get ready for the change and enjoy your new active lifestyle for the year that will make you feel good, not only physically but emotionally too!