by Jen Foley – Healthy Lifestyles Director, Two Rivers YMCA
Plan YOUR day to succeed.
Making lifestyle changes doesn’t come naturally. To change your habits, you have to plan – to make it happen.
Analyze your morning schedule.
You may find there’s a lot of free time there. When you start exercising in the morning, you find that you may use your time better. If you have a structured period of activity, you know that you will keep things moving.
Mississippi Valley Health News' nutrition blogger Jeni Tackett (left) and fitness blogger Jen Foley (right) offer their insights and inspiration to help you keep your promises and get on the road to great health.
Set your program.
Schedule your workouts in your weekly planner in the same way you would an appointment. Then decide what works best for you, such as 7am on Monday and Wednesday and start there and stick with that for a few weeks. If you feel like you can add another day go for it! – This has to be your highest priority because it’s your health.
Know your options.
What kind of exercise or physical activity will get you out of bed in the morning? Is it walking, meeting a friend at the Y to try a new class or is it a yoga video? Figure out what motivates you.
Tackle your barriers.
If you are not a morning person or you have a hard time going to the Y after work, then a workout buddy can provide motivation. I find if you know someone is waiting for you, counting on you, you’ll go. Once you go, you’re happy you went.
Remind yourself.
Put yellow sticky notes on the fridge or the computer – like today I am going to walk the stairs 4 times at work or this weekend I am going to jog one more mile then the week before. A quote for you to think about as you are planning your week:
“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” - George S. Patton
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Jen Foley is the Healthy Lifestyles Director at the Two Rivers YMCA, Moline. Jen majored in Therapeutic Recreation at the University of Tennessee and Gerontology at Sonoma State University. She lives in Davenport with her husband, Tim and their two pugs Jack and Lucy. She enjoys having an active lifestyle and helping others achieve their goals.For a listing of all of Jen’s blog posts, click here. |
