October 6, 2024

Is Small Group Fitness For You?

Fit Body:

Consider Small Group Fitness Classes

Check out small group exercise for a motivation boost. Exercising with 3-4 others, instead of 20 others as in group fitness, may just be the workout solution for you. Small groups are not only an economical choice, they hold you accountable and don’t let you get lost in the shuffle of a big gym or crowded class. You’ll get personal attention, a challenging workout and the motivation of others at the same time.  You’ll find:

New friends.

Maybe even a new training partner to meet for workouts outside of your small group.

Friendly competition.

Encouragement and support of your workout (and healthy lifestyle) goals.

Solutions to your fitness challenges.

A fitness mentor in your coach or instructor.

 

Fitness commitment doesn’t have levels

Fit Mind:

Commit 100%

Fitness commitment doesn’t have levels that vary up or down. Fitness commitment doesn’t wane when times get tough, when schedules are difficult or when you experience doubt. Simply put, either you’re in or you’re out. Are you IN?

Step 1: Choose a fitness goal.

Step 2: Map out an exact plan. Write down all the details.

Step 3. Find a way. For example: Get up early, stay up late, make up your own workout at home, join a gym, exercise in at a park or beach, use a school or community track, pull up a YouTube workout, use streaming workouts, walk your errands, walk your dog, join the community center, join a club, ask a friend to be your accountability partner, create a noon-time fitness club at work, ask your family to exercise with you on the weekends.

Give up your fitness excuses.

Fit Mind:

Give up your fitness excuses.

Excuses won’t get you fitness results. Hard work, dedication and consistency will. Eliminate your excuses by making a list of the most common reasons to skip a workout. For example, no extra time, not enough energy and no access to equipment. Along side each excuse, brain storm three ways to overcome each according to your own schedule and goals. If you’re stumped, ask a friend to look at your list and come up with a solution together. Fitness results happen by making a daily commitment to your workout. Make your dedication stronger than every excuse.

Your Fitness Team

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Form your Fitness Team

Getting fit takes effort, support and accountability. Form a fitness team by asking others to join you in your healthy living journey. Set a time to meet once a month, or even once a week. Share your top 3 fitness goals, as well as your specific plan how you’ll accomplish each. Ask for regular support of accountability via emails, texts or phone calls. As you work toward your goals together, you’ll be able to share your successes and problem-solve to overcome any obstacles that may come up. Having your team to report progress to will increase adherence and consistency, as well as keep motivation high. Your motivation will soar through encouraging your team members to keep going, stick with it and never give up on their fitness goals. Consider your fitness team as a healthy living mastermind group getting together for the common purpose of creating a healthy mind, body and heart. Who will you invite to join your fitness team?

 

What fitness example do you set?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Encourage fitness by setting a healthy example!

Youngsters hear and see everything. Even when you think they aren’t paying attention, they are! If you pull on your jeans and grimace. If you complain how much you ate and now you “feel so fat”. If you are on the tennis court and whine how bad you are, can’t do anything right, or are so out of shape, you are setting an example. They look up to you, they think you are strong and capable. You’re the grown ups, after all. Set a strong, balanced, and empowered example of healthy living and smart fitness choices by using positive words and taking positive actions.

 

 

Focus your motivation

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Focus your motivation FORWARD!

Focus your motivation to keep moving forward. Your thoughts and words matter, so keep both positive and use words like “I am…” .  Make a decision right now to focus on what is possible for your fitness. Here’s how to start:

Commit daily to your goal.

Speak your goal aloud often.

Take at least one action step toward your goal each day.

Practice gratitude for each successful step accomplished toward your goal.

Instead of focusing on what you’re unable to do, focus on what you’re able to do! How can you keep moving forward?

 

 

Get Strong!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Get Strong!

Lifting weights yields benefits far beyond strong muscles. Pushing your body hard during a workout will inspire and motivate all areas of your life. GO WORKOUT!

Reaching goals in the gym, motivates you to reach goals in your daily life. You’ll dream big!

Feeling strong is empowering. You’ll be inspired!

Having a strong body builds body confidence and self esteem. You’ll feel good.

Pushing through a tough workout will strengthen your mind. Ideas and solutions will come to mind.

Committing to finish a workout reminds you how strong and capable you are! You can do anything you set your mind to.

 

Need an attitude adjustment?

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Need an attitude adjustment? GO WORKOUT!

If you’re looking for a way to improve your mood, change your perspective or simply adjust your attitude, look no further than your workout. Exercise forces deep breathing due to the effort required. The result of deep breathing is stress reduction and a brain chemical mood boost. Exercise also brings emotions forward that need to be processed. Further, exercise clears your mind, allowing creative solutions to challenges to come to the forefront of our thinking. So, next time you find yourself grumpy, in a negative space or with a poor perspective, GO WORKOUT and enjoy the exhale!

 

Add in Agility!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Add Agility!

Agility, how well you move, is an important part of fitness. If you’re playing a sport that involves frequent cutting or changing direction like tennis, basketball or soccer, agility is essential. You’ll move easier, faster, and reduce risk of injury. Adding agility into your workout is as simple as working a pattern on the floor around objects, a course, or a specific direction. Use an agility ladder, cones, rings or any objects that are safe and secure on the floor. Set your pattern, start your timer and GO! Be creative and add an agility component to your workout, and you’ll see and feel results fast.

 

Listen to Your Body!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Listen to your body!

How do you know when nagging soreness from exercise warrants a trip to the doctor? Soreness is part of working out sometimes. Discomfort is also part of working out sometimes. Pain is NOT part of working out. So here’s the bottom line: If a move, motion or exercise doesn’t “feel” right to your body, it probably isn’t. Unload the weight and stop the exercise. Revisit proper form without weight or resistance, and then try again. If it still doesn’t feel right, then adjust the range of motion, mode of exercise or consider modifications. This is a feeling you don’t want to push through. And if you have pain that results, here are few guidelines to know when to take it seriously:

When ice doesn’t make it feel better.

When you have loss of range of motion or mobility.

When pain wakes you up at night.

Any pain accompanied by swelling, change in appearance of joint or muscles, numbness or tingling.

When you’re unable to perform your usual workout because of pain or discomfort.