Five super spring shape-up tips

The first official day of spring is right around the corner. In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring season always officially begins on March 1 and continues through May 31.

That means now is a good time to start a spring shape-up plan if your fitness regimen has gotten off the track.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you live in a cold-weather area of the country and have added some extra winter pounds.

Exercise and eating right are not things that should seem like a punishment. Find forms of exercise that you enjoy, like walking, jogging, biking, dancing, playing basketball, etc.

Exercise and eating right are not things that should seem like a punishment. Find forms of exercise that you enjoy, like walking, jogging, biking, dancing, playing basketball, etc.

Spring is a time for a new beginning. Here are five tips for a spring shape-up program:

Set goals
Identify why you want to get fit and what you want to accomplish. Getting fit isn’t always as simple as losing weight. Maybe you just want to feel better about yourself, have more spring in your step and have peace of mind that you’re doing something good for your body. If you set goals for why you want to get fit, it will help keep you stay more motivated to do things like exercise regularly and eat healthy.

Be active every day
Get rid of the “I don’t have time to work out today” excuse by finding time to move around, even if it’s just for short periods like briskly doing housework, a family walk or parking farther away from the door at work or the store. Anything you can do to move your body is better than being completely stationary.

At Home Fitness can help you save time and exercise in the convenience of your own home with a great selection of fitness equipment. If you are looking for top-rated fitness equipment in Arizona shop the At Home Fitness superstores or visit them online.

Eat real, whole food
Instead of spending lots of time logging counts for carbs and calories, focus on how you fuel your body. Eat healthy food with as few ingredients as possible. Great examples of this are fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy and clean proteins. I personally have really enjoyed using a Juicer machine.

Make fitness fun
Exercise and eating right are not things that should seem like a punishment. Find forms of exercise that you enjoy, like walking, jogging, biking, dancing, playing basketball, etc. The same goes for food – try to find healthy meals and snacks that you enjoy.

Use the buddy system
If you find someone to exercise with regularly, it can be a great motivator.
Exercise with a buddy can make the time more fun and also help push you on days you’re not feeling your best.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. Consult a doctor before making any significant changes in your exercise routine or diet. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com