Three of my favorite fitness tips

Happy March! We’re three months into 2023 and I wonder, if resolutions were made at the beginning of the year, how are we doing? According to the Forbes Health/One Poll survey, 39% of the respondents had a goal to improve health, 37% wanted to lose weight and 33% wanted to improve their diet. However, a study from 2021 showed that 80% of people who made resolutions abandoned them by February. I know that I’ve been one of those people who said bye-bye to my well-intentioned resolutions but this year it’s been different.

One of the things I wanted to focus on was my fitness. I’ve always loved to exercise and I enjoy eating healthy but like so many others, life happens and I get sidetracked. It also doesn’t help that I work a very sedentary job which includes developing, testing and tasting recipes. Since December I have been successful in making fitness and eating more mindful a top priority. Not every day is perfect but on those imperfect days I give myself a little grace knowing I’m doing the best considering the circumstances.

Today I’d like to share of my tips that have helped me keep on track with my fitness goals. These tips have been a game changer for me because on those imperfect days they allow me to make little strides toward my big goal.

1. Take regular breaks

One of the best things we can do for our health is to take regular breaks. Sitting for long periods of time detrimental to your health, and taking frequent breaks can help you avoid the negative effects of sitting. Try to take a break every hour or so, and use that time to stand up, stretch, and move around.

2. Incorporate exercise into your day

By adding in exercise into your day can be a great way to sneak some fitness into your day when you either can’t do a full workout or be a bonus when you can. This can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further from the store/job you’re going to. If you have a dog, you can consider adding in an extra lap. Any movement you can add into your day is a win.

3. Make healthy food choices

Finally, it’s important to make healthy food choices. There’s so much information out there about this topic and you can search for that. What I’ve found is that it becomes easier to make healthier choices in food when I’m on top if my workout game. For me, they go hand in hand. But I do indulge in treats.

Staying fit, getting fit, can be challenging but I know that little changes have made a big difference in my reaching my goals.

In the Food Blogger mystery series, Hope Early loves running. In the Resale Boutique mystery series, Kelly Quinn loves Pilates. My heart belongs to Pilates but I love strength training. What’s your favorite type of workout?

P.S. Make sure to check with your doctor before making any changes in your fitness routine/dietary needs.

Debra Sennefelder is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.

She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking, exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie.

You can keep in touch with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.