Most of us resolve to make our health a priority each year, but how well do we stick to it? A little preparation and planning can definitely help you reach your goals, and fitness is no exception. Here are some tips to help you get more exercise in 2017: 1. Remove obstacles – It can be tough to get motivated to work out, so make it as easy as possible by removing anything that typically gets in your way. Every evening, lay out your running clothes or pack up your gym bag. Keep an extra headband or pair of socks in your car if you tend to forget them. If you sometimes skip your evening workout because you’re hungry, keep a healthy snack on hand to get you through. Think about the excuses you usually make to yourself and figure out how you can address them in advance. 2. Make it routine – It’s too easy to let other responsibilities get in the way of your workouts. Carve out some space in your schedule for regular exercise and make it the thing you do every day at that time. Even if you only get in a 15 minute walk or some stretches, you’ll be much more likely to stick with it if it's part of your daily routine and not just an occasional activity. 3. Have some at-home options – Even if you prefer to work out at the gym, you know it can be tough some days to get there, especially during Central New York winters. Plan ahead for those days with options to get in a good workout at home. This doesn’t require any expensive equipment, just some DVDs you enjoy or videos you can watch online. For the last year I’ve been doing free workouts from Fitness Blender, and I recently added some videos from Yoga with Adriene to mix it up.
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