by Lauren Walker
I hope your Christmas Holidays were wonderful. Upon welcoming the New Year, I had to decide what my first article of 2024 would be. Resolutions seem to be an obvious choice here, alas I am not a fan of them. Why? You simply can't expect to get healthy in a few short months. Significant long term changes mean daily effort.
I always encourage people to make one decision a day. What is one thing you can do right now to help yourself? Maybe you want to make better food choices? My suggestion is to make small substitutions in your daily routine. Instead of drinking pop, substitute carbonated water. Pick one thing you can change and you’ll find that making better choices becomes a daily routine. Make it an achievable goal and you will succeed.
Adding movement to your day is an important part of making long term changes. If you’re just a beginner, then adding twenty minutes of daily activity is reasonable. This could mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking a walk on your lunch break. Whenever you can take the opportunity to move your body, do so at a level you’re comfortable with. Less is more when you’re just starting out.
Learning to manage stress is also an important part of your daily routine. Taking just five minutes to meditate or engage in deep breathing. Find activities that feed you soul such as writing, drawing, painting or reading. Take some to time relax your body and mind.
Small changes add up to big ones. Remember, getting healthy is a life time pursuit and cannot be changed in a few short months.
All Fit All Ages Gym is located in the Port Perry Food Basics plaza, beside Coldwell Banker. Call 289-356-2140 for your free assessment.