SPRING CLEAN YOUR WORKOUT

It happens every January 1st. You make a New Year’s resolution to get in the best shape of your life. Maybe you joined a gym, or cleaned our your refrigerator to make space for healthier choices. But something over the past few weeks has derailed your progress.

For me, it was the weather. Here in New York City, where I live, the temperature went from two below zero to 60 degrees in a matter of days, and that kept me in a constant cycle of sniffles, coughs and aching bones. Needless to say, between swigs of Mucinex and hoarding boxes of tissues, my fitness regimen fell to the side.

But the flowers are starting to bloom and daylight savings time is back in effect. So it’s time to spring-clean my workout! Here are my top tips to get us both back on track.

Define Fitness Goals. It’s easy to hit the gym on a regular basis, but without fitness goals, your workouts may be for naught. It’s important to define what your fitness goals are so you are training your body in the most accurate manner. This season, I’m all about maintaining and increasing my lean muscle tissue. Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass, can decrease muscle by 3 to 5 percent every decade after the age 35. Maybe your goal is to get your heart pumping more efficiently. According to the National Institute As we age, the cardiovascular system becomes more susceptible to diseases, which includes high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (where plaque builds up inside your arteries), so a healthier heart can help ward off disease. Once your fitness goals are defined, you can seek out the best program to achieve them.

Take Workouts Outside. With the weather getting better every minute, there’s no better place to train than outside. There’s more space for me to jog farther, bike longer and jump over things more often.  Being outside also increases the intensity of my workouts. Hiking adds hills that go up AND down, a direction you can’t get on a treadmill. The wind adds extra resistance when I hop on a Schwinn.  When I travel near water, I always seek out a beachfront, as sprinting on sand is much harder than a flat level surface.  Times seem to fly when I train outdoors. Whatever terrain I choose, I make sure I have the proper footwear. Try Topo Athletics, which specializes in footwear for outdoor activities.