With the 4th of July over, we've passed the unofficial halfway point of the year, making this a good time to stop, take a breath and take stock of where we are. Summer can be a frantic time for some of us and there are plenty of expected and unexpected events that can throw us off track with our workouts: Holidays, travel, vacation, visitors and, for many of us this year, storms, fires and other weather-related phenomena that leave us powerless...both electricity-wise and psychologically.
Summer can make exercise tough for many of us, but there are things you can do to minimize the damage:
- Prepare - We can't prepare for everything, of course, but there are things we can plan for in advance. For example, if you know visitors are coming on a certain weekend, plan your workouts ahead of time. Maybe you don't want to pop in a video and do a high energy workout in the living room at 5 a.m., but you could put together short, 10-minute workouts you could do in your bedroom with little or no equipment.
- Plan for Time Off - It's easy to get frustrated if you can't get your workouts in, especially if it's through no fault of your own. Ease your frustration by planning your time off on those days when a workout probably isn't going to happen. Spending a day on a plane to Tahiti? Make that a rest day, get in as much movement as you can at the airport and consider bringing a trainer along with you to keep you in shape (I will be more than happy to provide that service).
- Lower Your Expectations - Too often, we try to squeeze full workouts into already-strained schedules. If you're struggling with that, look at your schedule and figure out how much time you actually have to workout, rather than trying to make time you don't have. Short workouts can be just as effective as long ones.
Thinking of where you are right now, how are you doing with your workouts and/or weight management goals? Are you staying on track or have you gotten thrown off your game? What could you do to maintain some level of fitness? Vote in this week's poll and leave a comment telling us how you're workouts are going.
We went to a bar-be-que and I brought my veggie dogs with me. I did eat a bit to many chips with dip and popcorn before dinner but I exercised it off the next day. Luckily the 4th of July is nothing like Thanksgiving or Christmas!
I was at my boyfrinds house and they only ate breakfast that day. And I got 1 meal on Saturday before I decided to leave
i eat to much everyday
I always feel pressured to eat more than I would like to at family events. Otherwise everyone comments on how I’m “eating like a bird or a rabbit” etc, etc… which is really annoying. I also tend to stay away from certain foods like breads and chocolate, which also get pushed on me at holidays. Once I eat something like that, it is a real struggle not to get stuck in old habits of overeating. Be sensitive to people trying to live healthy lives!
I’ve had to quit exercising for a few days because I tripped and fell down some stairs. The good news in no serious injuries like broken bones, stitches or a concussion although I’m pretty banged up. What’s keeping me from exercising is a tendon or ligament strain in my leg and bruises on my foot. As soon as that heals, I’ll be back at it, despite two black eyes and cuts on the forehead and the bridge of the nose.
I have had an increase in migraines this year that have really slowed down the progress I was hoping to make. I found and resolved some issues so they are less frequent now, but had one just last week. I am trying to become certified as a group fitness instructor in September. I am trying to increase my cardio and bulk up my arms a little bit. But a migraine takes 2, sometimes 3 days out of my workout schedule. I plan to work out every day because I have 2 younger kids and a husband that travels alot, so there is always one day a week where my plans are thwarted! It’s frustrating but I’ve learned to just keep going, drink alot of water and pray for sleep!