November 20, 2025

Dining out? Always do this before you go…

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Research your options!

Planning ahead is key to a healthy lifestyle, and that means be informed. If you’re heading out to eat, one easy action sets you up for a healthy meal success. Seeking out information ahead of time takes the guess-work out of making nutritious food choices. So how do you do it?

Look up the menu online. Look up the menu online ahead of time to plan for a healthy meal. Firstly, you won’t get caught up in making a fast, pressured decision. Secondly, you won’t be distracted by others choices. Finally, you won’t be swayed by spontaneous cravings.

 

 

 

 

 

Motivate with Group Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Join Group Fitness!

Exercising along side others is motivating! Group fitness may just be the answer to keeping your workout motivation up. Here’s why you should consider group fitness:

Groups are energizing. Even if you’re not enthused to workout, there will someone else who is.

Groups are inspiring. Witnessing some one else push hard and work toward a goal will inspire your own effort.

Groups are learning opportunities. There undoubtedly will be someone in class who is more fit or more skilled than you. Learn from them!

Groups are encouraging. A “good job” or “way to go” from a fellow fitness enthusiast goes a long way when you’re having a tough day.

 

 

 

Walking for Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Walk!

Walking is effective cardiovascular exercise. Walking for fitness requires no additional equipment, and can be done right from your front door.

Ramp up your walking for fitness workout by adding in a few exercises at regular intervals:

Heel Raises: Stand keeping your torso straight. Lift and lower your heels.

Toe Raises: Stand keeping your torso straight. Lift and lower your toes.

Squats: Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bending from your knees and hips, sit back and lower your body toward the ground about six inches. Stand back up to return to your starting position.

 

*Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Circuit Training for Every Situation

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Circuit Train!

What’s one workout mode that can be done indoors or outdoors, with or without equipment, whether you’re a beginning or advanced exerciser? Circuit training! Circuit training means moving from one exercise to the next without rest.

Set up a circuit of exercises. Choose from 3 exercises to repeat, on up to 10 or 12 exercises to perform consecutively.

Choose your format. Circuit strength exercises only, or alternate strength exercises with cardiovascular exercise in a circuit format.

Circuits are limited only by your creativity. Use whatever is around you, with safety as primary concern. Tables, chairs, benches, trees, steps, wall can all be used to assist your exercises. For example, Wall Squats, Bench Pushups, Chair Tricep Dips.

 

*Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Drink Your Water!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Drink Water!

It’s no secret that drinking water yields numerous health benefits. So why is staying adequately hydrated a challenge for so many? Here are a few ideas to staying properly hydrated for your fitness, and your day:

 

Set your phone alarm. Set your alarm on your smart phone for every three hours as a reminder.

Pre-fill your water bottles for the day. Set the bottles on the counter, your desk or wherever you spend a lot of time, as a visual reminder.

Pair drinking water with other daily activities. Get up, drink a glass of water. Drink a glass of water before each meal. Drink water every time upon arriving home, Drink water before, during and after your workout.

Choose water first. Whenever out or at a friends house, order and drink one glass of water first.

 

Get Functional with Your Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Get Functional with Squats!

If your fitness goal is to complete your activities of daily living with greater ease and less effort, consider adding functional exercises like Squats into your workout routine.

Squats: An effective exercise that strengthens the entire muscle chain of your body. Although you’ll feel the lower body working the most, your internal stabilizing muscles are also working to maintain proper form, posture and control.

Here’s how to get started:

Consult a Fit Pro to learn proper form based on your ability. Every body is different, and therefore approach to a specific exercise may slightly differ as well.

Maintaining posture is paramount. Maintaining proper alignment is a prerequisite to performing an effective squat.

Master form before adding the load of weights. Adding load without controlling the motion increases risk of injury. Technique matters!

Choose free-weights if appropriate. Free weights require stabilization, instead of relying on the tracking of machine.

Progressions are endless. Varying the mode of the load creates an increased challenge for intermediate and advanced exercisers. For example utilize an exercise band, hold one or two dumbbells, incorporate a stability ball, stand on a balance disk, add a simultaneous upper body exercise, vary pace or vary the range of motion.

 

*Consult your doctor before beginning exercise.

 

High Intensity Jump Rope for Fitness

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Jump Rope!

Jumping rope has total body fitness benefits all in one workout. You’ll strengthen your heart and your muscles. Jump ropes are economical and portable. Jumping rope is also useful for coordination and agility. Begin with ten to twenty seconds of jumping, followed by twenty seconds of rest, and build from there by adding ten seconds.

A few reminders:

Every workout should begin with an 8-10 minute warm up and conclude with a 10 minute cool down.

Wear proper athletic footwear.

Be mindful of jumping on a suitable surface.

Choose a jump rope length based on your height.

Proper postural alignment is important when performing high impact activity.

Adjust your jumping style and rhythm based on sustainable intensity. For higher intensity, jump the rope on every hop and turn of the rope. For lower intensity, jump the rope on every other hop and turn the rope slower.

Requires a base level of fitness. Jumping rope is high impact and high intensity and may not be suitable for beginning exercisers.

 

*Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Need a Workout Motivation Boost?

Need a motivation boost? Join #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday 5pmP/8pmE on Twitter! Chat with fellow fitness-enthusiasts, pick up workout motivation and fitness tips.

Here’s how to join:

Log in to your twitter account. Enter #HealthyWayMag to follow the chat. Discussions questions will be posted as Question 1, “Q1″, Question 2 as “Q2″ and so on. Simply note your answer with designation “A1″ as answer to question 1. Tag your answers with #HealthyWayMag. Chat, interact with others and have fun!

 

Monday February 1, 2016 Giveaway from ROLL Recovery:

All athletes know workout recovery is just as important as the workout itself. Recover well with ROLL Recovery’s award winning and revolutionary massage rollers. The R8 model adjusts for different body areas and sizes, such as the upper leg and lower leg. It’s portable weighing in at only 2.5 pounds, so logging a deep tissue massage is easy just about anywhere.  Their new R3 Orthopedic Foot Roller is ideal to decrease foot pain and discomfort by targeting the inside, outside and center of your foot. It’s compact, non-slip and easy to use on any surface. This roller also works well to target smaller muscles. Follow them via @ROLLrecovery on Twitter to learn more!

 

 

 

Are You Appropriate for Your Exercise?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Be Appropriate!

A component of long term, sustainable, effective exercise means being prepared and appropriate for your workout. Have full knowledge of what’s required from a physical perspective is obviously important for injury prevention, but so is having appropriate gear and clothing from a safety perspective.

Being prepared with appropriate gear, clothing and equipment for your specific exercise mode is key for effectiveness, and for your safety:

Shoes. Does your specific mode of exercise require a specific type of shoes? If you’re unsure, find out. Appropriate foot wear is essential to logging an injury-free workout.

Clothing. Prevent over-heating, chill, or clothing becoming lodged in equipment by knowing what attire is recommended. Ask for details of  appropriate attire for your activity.

Fitness prerequisite. What fitness level is required or recommended for your desired activity? Don’t be a liability for fellow exercisers by attempting a workout that is out of your ability.

 

 

Short on Time?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Break it down!

If you’re short on time, find a way to adjust or modify your schedule to keep your fitness on track. Here are a few ideas to keep you going:

 

Double up. If time is tight on your scheduled workout day, double up on your cardio the following day if possible.

Impromptu physical activity. Add in fitness everywhere and anywhere. Take the stairs, walk the errands.

Body weight exercise. Revisit the old days of gym class, and perform a circuit of Push-Ups, Planks and Squats to overload your muscles.

Back to basics. Seated stretching and range of motion are exercises that may be performed anywhere without equipment, and both have health benefits.