10
15
2018

Why is it snowing already?!

The summer season is coming to a close. For those of us in the Midwest, this means less 90 degree weather, less pool time and getting ready to scrape inches of ice off of our windshield before heading to work. When it’s easier to stay out of the cold, huddle under a blanket and sit by the fire at home, one thing that often gets pushed to the side is our fitness. Now that we don’t need that “beach body,” what’s the point of going to the gym? This is something that we hear all the time. We went to the gym day in and day out and carefully chose our food throughout the summer in order to feel and look our best.   Often times, we tend to forget all the hard work we put in and move towards a shift in activity, diet and even motivation.  Why is it so easy to neglect our bodies and toss away all of our effort in just a couple months?

Along with the colder weather and pumpkin spice lattes, comes a season of holidays. We get to spend more time with family, share the holiday spirit, get some great gifts and of course eat a ton of food. What could be better than that? When we consider our choices between going to the gym and “I’m only going to eating one more half piece of pumpkin pie, I swear.” We find ourselves picking the latter. Throughout the holiday season we become less active and have less motivation to go to the gym when it requires driving through a foot of snow. It’s harder to make it to that 5:30am class when the forecast says a high of five degrees.

We continue this cycle of eating more and working out less throughout the cold weather until it starts to get warm again. Once it hits New Year’s we tell ourselves its time to get back on track, and renew the gym membership but that cold weather keeps us indoors. As spring starts to arrive it brings about a time of frantically trying to get back in shape and starving ourselves. Other than these crash diets and brutal workouts being painstaking and stressful; this on-off cycle is not good for you both mentally and physically! The upcoming holiday season instead can be a time where you make the most progress and walk into the New Year already in the best shape of your life. Take charge today and tell yourself that you CAN stay on track. Keep becoming a better you throughout the holiday season and your hard work will pay off. We are here to help! Here are a couple of challenges and tasks you can use to stay on track this year.

  1. Make healthier food choices

We have all heard it time and time again, “You are what you eat.” Now, while this isn’t literally true; diet plays an extremely important role in our fitness journey. A lot of trainers will tell you that workouts and training are about 20% of the battle and the other 80% comes from what you are eating. The holidays can be an easy time to grab an extra piece of cake or pie and plop down on the couch with Sunday, Monday and Thursday night football. One way to help stay on track is to prepare meals in advance. This doesn’t have to be egg whites; chicken breast and broccoli but pick foods that you know are good for you and also taste great! If you don’t like eating it what are the chances you will only eat what you brought. Pick a variety of food groups with some protein, vegetables, some fruit and make meals ahead of time. Now it’s easier to grab and go when you’re in a hurry and will help to avoid overeating.

  1. Become part of a team

Staying on track by yourself can be incredibly hard to do. Find a friend, join a workout group or a competition and become part of a team. Having a teammate and someone to help keep you accountable will make hitting your goals much easier. It’s a lot harder to stay in bed and skip a workout when you have someone else who is expecting you to be there and relying on you. Think about group classes or a Weight Loss competition. RiverPlex even offers team and competition environments to help you change your life around such as RiverPlex Extreme. Get involved, set goals, become accountable and start your journey today!

  1. Find a Reason

Last but certainly not least, is finding a reason to help you stay on track. Whether you want to be healthier to prevent injury or health concerns, look better, play with your kids more; anything! Find what makes you tick and a reason to better yourself today! Dig deep and discover your reason of why you want to go to the gym and why you want to stay active. This reason will be different for every single person and once you find your why; you’ll be able to find your rhythm and crush your goals.

For more information on our private, small group, and semi private options go here! To experience all of our training options, ask the front desk about a 30 day experience!

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RiverPlex

 @PeoriaRiverPlex

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