3 ways to get your fitness routine back on track after the holidays

It makes sense that healthier habits become a top priority on many New Year’s resolution lists, after a long holiday season of rich foods, decadent drinks, and skipped exercise routines. But achieving this goal can often be challenging if you don’t know where to start, what sort of workouts to do, and, most important, how to maintain motivation.

To help kick-start this process, check out these tried-and-true toning tricks.

When it comes to establishing fitness goals, one of the most common mistakes is setting unrealistic, ill-defined expectations. For example, if you’re not a morning person, it wouldn’t make sense to plan your sweat session early in the day. Or, if you’d like to become an avid runner but don’t run, simply stating this goal isn’t enough. You’ll need to create a road map to accomplish these goals.

Instead, think about which days you can realistically dedicate to running. Write it down, as you’re far more likely to complete your goals when they are in ink. Next, decide how long or how far you can run. If you’re a beginner, start light. It’s tempting to say you’ll run for 30 minutes or cover multiple miles, but for newbies this can become an overwhelming and even an overzealous commitment that can result in injury.

The goal is to create a routine you can stick with and is filled with tiny victories along the way. If you’re winded early on or feel very sore after your first time out, it may discourage you from embarking on future runs. Start small, then grow your goals. This is your best approach for building a program you’ll be able to stick with.

Whether you’re tight on time or the thought of exercising for an extended period sounds unappealing, slicing your workout into more manageable chunks is a great way to guarantee that it gets done.

To do this, schedule short, snack-sized workouts. These are brief, 10- to 20-minute sessions designed to help you stick to a schedule, and build motivation and adherence, as well as provide the health benefits associated with exercise. Need some fitness inspiration? Try this fast fitness routine at Inquirer.com/health.

Don’t let the shorter duration discourage you. Some exercise is always better than none, and the more bite-sized body-strengthening sessions you complete, the greater your fitness fire will burn to do more. Exercise is a natural mood enhancer and, eventually, you will soon crave the endorphins it releases.

There are many benefits to turning up your favorite tunes when working out. Music can distract from discomfort or fatigue, elevate mood, and increase endurance. And if you’re at the gym, you’ll have a good excuse to avoid small talk with your neighbor on the machine next to you.

Music also has the power to enhance your athletic ability by enabling you to run faster or exercise longer without even realizing you’re putting in more effort. With that in mind, try to stick with songs whose beat is appropriate for your skill level to prevent overexerting yourself during such activities as running or biking.

Ashley Blake Greenblatt is a certified personal trainer and wellness coach in South Jersey. Learn more about her virtual training program at ashleyblakefitness.com.