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News | Jan. 29, 2019

Fitness tips for the New Year

By Tiara Crowder DSCC MWR Supervisory Sports Specialist

In the New Year, many people focus on fitness based resolutions. Here are some tips to help ensure the resolutions stick.

  1. Make a commitment to live healthier and feel better.
  2. Choose an accountability partner to keep you on track. The partner can be a family member, friend or personal trainer.
  3. Set Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely (SMART) goals. For example:
    • Week 1: I will walk for 15 minutes, 3 times per week.
    • Week 2: I will walk for 20 minutes, 3 times per week.
  4. Start slowly and work your way up each week. If you work too hard the first day, you may injure yourself or feel too sore to continue.
  5. Drink plenty of water. Your body is made of 70 percent water and water is needed to cushion and lubricate joints. Water also protects the brain, spinal cord and other tissues.   
  6. Eat whole or minimally processed foods. For example, eat a baked potato rather than a bag of potato chips.
  7. Track what you eat in order to understand where your calories are coming from and where you need to cut back.
  8. Eat your veggies. Vegetables can be low in calories and are a great source of vitamins and minerals.
  9. Consider using an activity tracker to help you meet your goals. For example, a Fitbit or similar device that helps track your steps, food and water intake.
  10. Don’t Quit! If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. In order to keep your muscles strong you must exercise them. Quitting is not an option because inactivity breeds weakness and as you become weaker it becomes harder and harder to start again.

NOTE: Consult your physician before undertaking any program of diet and or/exercise.