Make fitness and health the rule, not the exception

Hey folks!

Can you believe we're almost two weeks into October already?! I could hardly believe my eyes when I went home last weekend to Maine and saw that the leaves on the trees had almost entirely changed color! Granted, there's nothing as picturesque as Maine foliage, but the thought that winter is gaining on us leaves me feeling a little unprepared! It feels like just yesterday that I was luxuriating on the beach on Cape Cod...ahhhh....

So while my mind may be elsewhere, digging my toes in the sand, my body is here in Brooklyn, not-so-eagerly anticipating the impending drop in temperature. As such, I've been thinking a lot about how to maintain my level of fitness and stay on track once I'm no longer able to will my body out of the cocoon that is my bed for an early-morning workout. What am I going to do when the idea of snuggling under a blanket on my couch with a cup of tea inevitably beats out the best of intentions to make it to the gym after work?!?

I think all of us who consider heath and fitness a big part of their lives struggle with committing to a workout schedule when the weather cools down. Not only is it more of a struggle to get up and go to the gym or a class, but the cold weather means that the holidays are not far off. It can be difficult to stay focused and eat clean during the holidays because there are just so many opportunities--not to mention excuses--to indulge. Trust me; I've been there.
Thinking about all this made me realize that perhaps I've been approaching the issue of how I'm going to stay committed and motivated to my fitness all wrong. Maybe thinking about health and fitness in such polarizing terms sets us up for failure. It's almost as if by recognizing how difficult it will be to maintain my workout schedule and eat right during the holidays I'm allowing myself a pass to say, "Oh, the heck with it!" and pig out all winter long.

Of course, this sounds a little far fetched, but we as humans are capable of convincing ourselves of just about anything, so it's important to allow for a certain amount of flexibility in such scenarios. This flexibility is necessary to avoid resorting to extreme behaviors on either end of the spectrum, and I think the best way to practice flexibility when it comes to the maintenance of a manageable fitness and health regimen is with ease. The ways by which we can incorporate health and fitness into our everyday lives and thereby work up slowly to reveal bigger results should be simple. I'm not saying that living a fitness-able life and making a commitment to health is easy--it's one of the most difficult decisions you'll likely ever make--but I do believe little changes yield bid results. Small but conscious changes break up what seems like an insurmountable goal to manageable, smaller pieces. Success begets success, and before you know it, that goal that seemed impossible to achieve is yours to bask in.

There are countless articles and books that say just about the same thing I just did, but in keeping with the theme of ease, check out this article from Everydayhealth.com. It gives some great tips for those both new to fitness and health and those who are seasoned veterans. With all the health-related information circulating these days, it can be hard to wade through it all. This article breaks down how to incorporate fitness and healthy habits into your daily lifestyle with nothing but simple changes and a little planning required. Enjoy!