31 Dec 2021 Make a life change
By Amanda Castillo
The holidays have come and gone, and a new year brings intentions of starting fresh and setting goals.
Whether you are new to working out or have been letting your fitness go during the pandemic, starting over simply starts by starting — period. It won’t be easy, and it will take some time, but if you never start, you will never grow.
We were all impacted by the pandemic in some way. Stress, uncertainty, isolation, quarantine businesses closures, including fitness centers. It’s no wonder so many are starting over and beginning from an unfamiliar place.
No matter if your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, get fitter, or to simply just feel good, once you start seeing and feeling the changes from working out, you will want to keep going. I promise!
During the pandemic, many began working out at home. We watched the craze of gym equipment selling out across the nation. For some, this new way of working out at home was enough to maintain their fitness level by utilizing on-demand workouts or following their favorite influencers on social media. For others, the lack of accountability, motivation, and energy of being around others left them skipping workouts and slowly falling out of the habit. It’s tempting to just rest on the couch for a few minutes or get distracted by the television or family during an at-home workout.
My advice to anyone is to start messy, start unsure – but get started. Resilience is about getting back up.
Make a realistic plan and promise yourself to move more. Whether that means taking more active breaks throughout the day if you work from home or lacing up your shoes to walk or run a mile.
I also encourage you to consider joining a local gym, such as Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center. The energy being around others is like nothing else. You are sure to stay motivated with the variety of cardio machines, wide selection of dumbbells and strength equipment, swimming pool, and high energy of group exercise classes.
Group exercise is for everyone. It is a community of other like-minded individuals all coming together with similar goals, and then add in amazing music and a motivating instructor.
Another option is to invest in a certified, experienced personal trainer. Whatever you do, don’t stand still. Do the things you think you cannot do, and don’t be afraid to fail. You may just surprise yourself!
To get the results you want, you’ve got to do the things you’ve been thinking about and possibly avoiding because they are hard. I say it often in my spin cycle classes that I instruct, “You can do hard things.”
No one is going to tell you to get off the couch, run a mile, take an exercise class except you — well, maybe I will! But you have to make it happen daily through small changes and consistency.
Remember, I’m over here cheering for you!
Amanda Castillo, BA, ACE | Marketing Coordinator/Personal Trainer/Group Exercise Instructor ACE Certified Group Exercise Instructor, Yogafit Instructor, Schwinn Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor, RRCA Certified Running Coach, and Barre Above Certified Instructor. She is on staff at the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.
