Well, we successfully made it
through Thanksgiving and Christmas... all that tasty food and cold weather sets
us up perfectly for putting on winter weight like a bear. But - there is no
time like the present to set yourself up for change! Take this New Year as an
opportunity to choose positive steps towards becoming a better you this year.
1.)
Keep Moving, Get Moving, or Move More!
-
Some of you are already on the right track with your fitness
endeavors - good for you! If that's the case, the sky is always the limit.
Challenge yourself, try something new or bring in a partner and see if you can
pass on your self-motivation to someone else you care about.
- Some of you are in a fitness routine, but it's either not getting the results you want, or it is boring you out of the desire to keep it up. In this case - seize the day and give something new a shot! Try a zumba class, pick up cross country skiing or snow shoeing, looks for deals on craigslist and pick up a new piece of home exercise equipment that will make it easy for you to stay home and get fit.
- Some of you just need somewhere to start.. And that is okay! If you need to start a fitness routine, start with simple goals - like getting up and moving for 30-60 minutes 3 times a week. You will do best to start easy and work your way up - we don't want anyone getting burned out from the start. 30 minutes of cardio (walking, elliptical, workout dvd, etc.) will get you started, and it is always important to think about the benefits of weight training on your entire body and fitness goals. Luckily for you - you have this blog and your MAC fit team to help you!
2.) Make Wiser Food Choices.
- Take advantage of the fruits in season (oranges, clementines, grapefruit are delicious this time of year!) And don't believe the lie that eating fresh is so much more expensive than not. If you choose your fruits and veggies wisely, (some do get expensive during this time of year) you can get more for your money than most packaged products and you can get a delicious filling meal for the same price as the unhealthy version! Plus - the rewards of eating healthy FAR OUTWEIGH any benefit of less short term spending with the unhealthy choices.
- Do some research on what you are putting in your body. Just because it is low fat, no fat, or sugar free does not mean that it is best for your body. Remember that God designed our bodies for foods found on His earth! Changes in quantity and quality can make big differences in your health, rather than choosing to substitute the modified foods. To see positive health changes, less headaches, less digestive issues - consider giving up soda, energy drinks, and highly processed sugars/breads... or at least choose to monitor your intake of them. That's a start!
3.) Commitedly pray for God's help in your changes!
- At MAC fit, we try to encourage the changes for all the RIGHT reasons. We don't want to glorify changes on the outside rather than the changes on the inside. The outside changes are temporary and fleeting. Ask God to help you keep your goals in line with His desire for your life - and remember that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD! He does want positive changes for you and He will equip you with the tools and strengths necessary to achieve them. Consider sharing your goals with us at MAC fit for extra support, confidential and loving support. We are all trying to better ourselves, and we are having fun doing it.
