Articles About Health and Fitness Biography
Source Google.com.pk
It’s that dreaded time of year where your January fitness enthusiasm is slowing dwindling into a February cloud of burnout and exhaustion. The excitement of your shiny new gym membership has dulled, and the couch doesn’t look half bad. In fact, it looks heavenly.
Well, you’re not alone: Gold’s Gym dug through four years of check-in data and determined the day when gym attendance begins to decline and members lose sight of their goals. It’s February 18th and Gold’s dubbed it the “Fitness Cliff.” There are more parking spots available and more dark circles under the eyes of the people who actually make it there. It’s a harsh reality, but don’t worry! You can avoid the Fitness Cliff, even if it feels like you’re hanging on by a thread. Check out these 5 strategies for keeping your fitness resolutions going strong.
1. Use the entire gym
It’s easy to fall off the bandwagon due to boredom. Sure, that Zumba class was fun in January, but come February 1st, even your favorite booty shaking moves can feel pretty stale. February is the time to mix things up. Challenge yourself to try a different machine, class, or exercise every day for an entire week. Venture into that mysterious corner of the gym with that weird cardio machine you’ve yet to brave (and ask an employee for pointers if you’re unsure of how to use it). Check out the pool. If you’re feeling really lost, invest in a single training session and let someone else do the legwork. A trainer can help you develop a new routine that incorporates all the equipment your gym has to offer.
2. Revamp your playlist
There’s nothing worse than reaching into your gym bag and realizing your left your iPod at home. Well, except for listening to the same tired playlist over and over and over. Awful, right? Switch up your playlist to revive your drive and inspiration (even hitting shuffle can make a difference!) and make sure to include fast-paced songs, which can help you work out harder. If you need some music inspiration, try the radio feature in Pandora, Spotify, or iTunes—you might just discover your new favorite artist.
3. Set a new goal
Your New Year’s resolution got you back to the gym in January, but resolutions tend to be vague. Get healthy and work out more are great places to start, but they don’t do much to keep you driven as time chugs along. February is a good time to make a new, more specific fitness goal that aligns with your resolution. Train for a 5K. Plan to lose 5 pounds this month. Do a pushup challenge. Find something that you can work toward in the short term that will keep your momentum going for the long term.
4. Buy motivation
Whoever said money can’t buy happiness never owned a bright new pair of running shoes. Give yourself a little pick-me-up in the form of some new workout gear. Splurge on a heart-rate monitor watch (I love my Polar!) or a cute sports bra. Even something small can put a spring in your step. Try a nice pair of socks with foot support or a new set of neon laces for your shoes!
5. Skip the gym!
If you’re tired of your gym routine, try taking your routine out of the gym. For one week, ditch the gym and do your workouts elsewhere. Whether you’re exercising in your living room, a local park, or going for a run around your neighborhood, give yourself a break from the gym without losing ground on your fitness goals. Chances are you’ll be ready to get back to that trusty gym after your quick breather. You might even miss the variety of equipment—and the towels you don’t have to wash yourself.
If boredom with your gym routine is your big problem, try a 12-Minute Plyo Workout or check out one of these fitness apps to give you a boost!
Researchers examined the responses of 476 working adults who were surveyed about their exercise behavior and their confidence in handling work-family conflicts. Those who exercised regularly seemed to experience an increased feeling of competence that carried over into work and home roles, the study authors said.
“If, for example, you go for a two-mile jog or walk 10 flights of steps at work and feel good about yourself for doing that, it will translate and carry over into other areas of life,” said study author Russell Clayton, an assistant professor of management at Saint Leo University in Florida.
“We found that [participants] who exercised felt good about themselves, that they felt that they could accomplish tough tasks, and that carried over into work and family life,” Clayton added.
The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Human Resource Management.
Volumes of research have shown that exercise lowers mental and physical stress levels, but few studies have focused on whether this stress reduction helps empower individuals to better manage their work-life balance.
Clayton said the study originated as a “pet project” after he realized his own adherence to exercise gave him perspective on integrating work and life. Also involved in the study were researchers from Saint Louis University, University of Houston-Victoria and Illinois State University.
Clayton acknowledged that the research method the study authors used — having respondents answer questions and then tallying the answers through a mathematical technique — did not offer hard numbers for the results.
Just over half (55 percent) of the study participants were women. In addition, the study noted, participants worked an average of 40 hours weekly and their average age was 41. About 29 percent had at least one child under age 18 living at home.
While the study found a link between physical activity and reports of greater empowerment at home and at work, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
“But the associations between exercise and work-life balance are there, and they’re very strong,” Clayton said.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, the idea of adding that regimen to a busy schedule to improve stress levels may seem counterintuitive, Clayton noted.
But he advocates the idea of “stolen moments” for exercise that add up, such as climbing the stairs for five minutes or doing jumping jacks in 30-second spurts.
“We hope our research can be a grain of sand in the beach of evidence we have to push corporations . . . to encourage employees to exercise,” he added.
Dr. Natalie Digate Muth, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, said the study extends the evidence that physical activity offers benefits beyond the obvious.
“People should think of it as a kind of investment. If you put some time into physical activity,” said Muth, “you may be active for 30 minutes a day, but the productivity and mental focus you’re going to get out of it is going to far exceed what you put into it, from a work and family perspective.”
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
Articles About Health and Fitness Quotes Inspiration Picture Clipart Logo Magazine Images Tumblr Motivation Tips
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