Back to Work

For most of the country, it is time to get back to work after a few weeks of parties and celebrations and no doubt there probably was a little more eating than normal that took place. As in my previous blog post, I spoke about taking time off. Now is the time to refocus and get back to working out. Delaying any further will just make getting back harder and harder and ultimately you may not even see a little sweat until April. Get back on track now.

Here are some tips for getting back without the strain:

Start off slowly
After a few weeks of doing mostly nothing, do not rush out the door and try to get 8 miles done. Start off with 2 miles if need be. Slowly build up your distance by adding 10-15% each week until you hit that 8 mile mark again (if that is where you left off). Gradually and slowly ensures success.

Keep a daily log
If you did not get one as a stocking stuffer, get an inexpensive log book to keep track of you progress. Keeping track ensures that you do not miss too many days between workouts without feeling guilty. Felling guilty is good if you need that kick in the pants.

Get others involved
Call a few friends and get them to the gym with you, make it a date and stick to it. The best motivator in the cold months up in the north is to have others workout with you. All can be a great encourager and motivator to each other.

Set your goals
This is the time of the year, where I hope you can look back at last year in order to look forward to set new goals for the coming year. If you are new to working out, then set a goal of maintaining the program.

Be thankful
Lastly, always be thankful to live in a great country where you have access to areas to workout. Not everyone in this world can run in a safe neighborhood, or workout in a spacious gym.

Good luck for the coming year, I look forward to hearing about the goals and achievements you have made throughout the year.