Keep resolutions by changing your mindset

In the new year it is difficult to consistently exercise and keep up with your resolutions. Breaking up workouts into 30 minute sessions and combining it with everyday activities can help reach the goals you have set.

Jessica Matthews, MS, an exercise physiologist suggests changing the way you think about exercise:

Making time for physical activity starts with changing our mindset and treating workouts just as you would any other important appointment or commitment. To help make fitness a priority, block off time in your day planner and treat it just as you would any other obligation.

Try some of these exercise tips to change the your old exercise routine.

30 Minute Workout Ideas

Hold 10-minute mini-workouts. Matthews suggests taking 10 minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening to do some form of activity. This can include 10 minutes of bodyweight exercises (push-ups, crunches, lunges, squats, etc.) in the morning, a 10-minute brisk walk during your lunch break at work and 10 minutes of yoga-inspired stretching in the evening.

Involve the family in daily fitness.Thirty minutes will fly by if you get the kids engaged in something that they, too, can enjoy. Grab the family and head out for a walk, game of tag or bike ride.

Clean with purpose. Don’t just sweep the floor, scrub the floor. Don’t just unload the dishwasher, dance with the dishes. Minutes add up fast when you move more during your clean-up time.

Look for opportunities to walk. Suggest work meetings on the go. “Walk and talk in lieu of sitting in an office,” suggests Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD, exercise physiologist. “I do that with clients when the weather is nice versus sitting in my office,” she says. If your job has you hanging out in airports on a regular basis, make that work for you, too. “When traveling, I like to walk and check out the stores in the airport — not to buy, but to keep moving before hours of sitting,” Stoler says.

Stoler also points out how quickly 30 minutes of activity accumulates when you seek out opportunities, such as taking the stairs, parking far away and doing yard work.

If you can’t seem to find the self-motivation needed to make it happen, consider recruiting a workout partner or hiring a fitness professional. Knowing that someone is expecting you at a certain place or time can help to enhance accountability for being more active, says Matthews.

Article provided by Eat Right