‘Tis the season for New Years resolutions! And how many of us wrote “Get into shape” on our list? (If you read my post last week, you were hopefully challenged along with me to rethink why we’re doing what we’re doing.)
I’ve been working hard to get back in shape for the past six months. (Babies have a way of messing with the body, y’know?) And in the process, I’ve discovered I’m addicted to variety in my workouts.
So I decided to share my top recommendations for ways to get in shape this year.
Get your heart pumping with cardio:
1. Zumba (or Latin fusion/ballroom dance) – I love, love, love Zumba! It requires a teeny bit of coordination, so if that intimidates you, feel free to try something else.
2. Cardio kickboxing — This doesn’t require too much coordination, and it is a great stress reliever.
3. Walking/running — Good old standby’s. All you need is a road or a track and you can move to your heart’s content.
Sculpt your muscles with toning:
1. Pilates or Pilates Fusion — Pilates focuses on breathing control and strengthening your core (abs and back). Pilates Fusion combines core work with overall toning.
2. Yoga — While many people think of yoga as meditation and stretching, it’s also great for toning muscles as you hold poses. And if the meditation aspect creeps you out, you can find all different levels of “ohm”. My church hosts yoga classes that don’t get “ohm-y” at all, so you can look for that type of venue.
3. Zumba Toning — Yes, Zumba has a toning class! It combines dance movements with muscle strengthening. Gotta love that!
And for a cardio/toning combo, there are all sorts of boot camp and circuit training classes out there. These pack a major fitness punch and target all your muscle groups for maximum calorie burn.
So start looking for these options near you and get moving this week! Next Friday I’ll share how to structure your workouts to meet your fitness goals.
Have you tried any of these workouts? Do any of them intimidate you? What can you do to get moving this week?
