How to Kick Start the New Year
Are you ready to get fit in 2024? If you’re like most people, you like to start off the New Year by making resolutions for a healthier lifestyle. This is especially true if you ate a few extra treats during the holiday season and ignored your regular fitness routine (this happens to almost all of us!) However, once January 1st rolls around, we are ready to get moving and firm and tone our bodies! Let’s look at ways you can easily keep your health and wellness resolutions and the best form of exercise to ensure you achieve your goals.
Create a Plan
Coming up with the “right” New Year’s resolutions can sometimes feel like a burden. A lot of times, when people set their resolutions, they make ones for things that they feel the “should” do, but aren’t really excited about. After a week or two, these folks get dispirited or frustrated and just abandon their goals altogether. This is why I recommend you do two things first: (1) make a plan that focuses on short-term goals and (2) choose activities that bring you joy.
Let’s say your New Year’s Resolution is to “exercise on a daily basis.” This is a great goal – regular exercise should definitely be a priority for each and every one of us. First, you need to break that big goal of daily exercise into smaller, more manageable goals. Start by creating daily or weekly goals that you can easily finish so that you build confidence and good habits. You want to create a routine that works well for you and does not overwhelm you. Being honest and realistic with how much time you can allocate for working out will get you started on the right path. You don’t have to plan much in the beginning. Remember, the biggest impact of exercise is when you go from none to some!
The second thing you need to focus on is choosing healthy activities that you find fun. Exercise is one of the most effective things you can do to improve your health now and into the future. My number one recommendation is to choose an activity that brings you joy. Research shows that you are more likely to complete your workouts if you enjoy doing them, and one of most enjoyable ways you can work out and have fun is by incorporating dance into your exercise routine!
Dance Your Way to Optimal Health
Dancing is one of the most enjoyable forms of exercise and because it’s fun you will be much more likely to stick with a regular routine. It is also a fantastic form of cardiovascular exercise which is a really important part of any well-rounded fitness program. Dancing brings joy and well-being into your life. You can take dance lessons at any age and go at your own pace. There are many different dance styles to choose from – Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Ballroom, Aerobic, Zumba and more. Learning dance steps and moves improves coordination, balance and flexibility. What makes dance unique is that while you move you also activate areas of your brain that improve memory and cognitive skills. Whether you go out dancing, take a group dance class, or dance freely in your own home, your body will receive the benefits of a great head-to-toe workout.
Being a life-long dancer myself, I love to spread the word and share my knowledge and passion in helping others to love dance and movement. As the saying goes “Health is our wealth” and one of the best ways to enrich your life is by incorporating dance into your fitness routine. Let’s get started and celebrate this New Year on the right foot!
Have a Healthy and Happy New Year!
This article originally appeared in the Coastal Breeze.
