Five Things I’m Doing For Better Fitness

I’ve always loved being active. I played tennis growing up, love kickboxing, and even had a steady love affair with hot yoga for a solid year not too long ago. But as my work schedules change and my eating habits change, my fitness routines do, too. And lately, I’ve been trying to mix things up in a big way because I’m a little *ahem* squishier than I would like to be. Here are the five things I’m doing to up my fitness game and get back on track with my health:

I Quit The Gym. Yep, I quit. It isn’t that I didn’t love the gym, because I really liked my membership and loved taking the group classes especially. But fighting traffic to get to and from the gym was eating up a lot of time, and sometimes the classes were so full that it was hard to enjoy being there. And when classes were cancelled without warning? I was pretty bummed. So I decided to take my $30/month and put it towards something else that might save me time and help me keep a consistent workout.
I Created My Own Mini Gym. This is something that I have slowly been doing over time. I realize not everyone has the physical space in their house or apartment to do this, or the money to spend on equipment, but I actually did this very economically. I thought long and hard about which classes I enjoyed most at the gym, and they were spin, kickboxing, yoga, and weight training. I started looking into buying a Peloton. Peleton has other classes, called Beyond the Ride where they offer yoga, strength training, foam rolling, some simple kickboxing, (and even wall workouts!) in addition to the live and on-demand spin classes. Since the bikes are pricey, I saved up and bought a used Peleton (which was basically in brand new condition,) from a local man on Ebay. The hubby and I rented a truck from Home Depot and picked it up, brought it home, and I signed up for their monthly membership to replace my old gym membership cost. The bike comes with hand weights to use for the strength classes, which saved me from buying some.
I Invested in Proper Gear. I have had some super cute and totally uncomfortable athletic shoes and and workout wear. It’s great to look cute at the gym, but now that my gym is at home, my priority became buying gear that really works for me. I discovered a brand called Rykä, and I love that these grey Eva NRG shoes were made with the structure of a woman’s foot in mind. They come in gorgeous colors, and every single pair is under $85. (I mean, seriously?!? My wallet is singing!) Rykä spent time examining women’s muscle movements and created shoes meant for comfort and control to lessen the risk of injury. this pair of trainers is super comfy and so lightweight that I feel like I’m not wearing any shoes at all!
I’m Learning a New Practice. Now that I’ve had a my mini-gym at home for a year and use it regularly, I decided to add on to it. I have always wanted to take Pilates reformer classes, but the expense didn’t make sense on top of my gym membership. After talking to lots of friends who use reformers, I started looking for an affordable (but substantial,) one online. I asked for suggestions on brands and styles on Facebook, and settled on a Balanced Body Reformer. Professional Pilates instructors I know love it, so I knew I could trust their recommendation. I spent months scouring Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp for a crazy good deal. I finally found one on Craigslist for an amazing price and the seller even delivered it to my door for $30 extra! I am now learning to use the Pilates reformer by watching online videos and love that it’s added a new dimension to my at-home workout routine. (Side note: these suckers take up A LOT of space. Make sure you have room for it!)
I Get More Vitamin D. No, not from a supplement. From the actual sun. Getting about 20 minutes of sun outdoors every day does wonders for your energy level! We are meant to soak up the sun’s rays in moderation, so don’t be afraid of getting a little sun on your face. Feeling the warmth of the sun encourages me to go for a run, take a long walk more days a week, and also do some feel-good stretches before and after any activity outside. Another thing that has helped me is to get an Audible membership so I can listen to awesome books while I walk or run. I am learning while getting fit, which is twice the benefit!