New Beginnings

The first day of each new year provides the promise of a new beginning.  It’s an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and improve the areas where you may have come up short and to set new goals.

With respect to fitness goals, consistency and moderation reign supreme.  This isn’t a challenge for those who has been living an active and healthy lifestyle.  But gyms throughout the world are filled with people who are ‘finally’ going to make major changes after years of neglect.  This group will likely be back to their bad habits within 30 days because they have done far too much too soon and have become sore, discouraged or injured.

Listening closely to how your body responds to any new activity is extremely important.  An effective guideline is to not have two consecutive high intensity days.  HIIT (high intensity interval training) has gained popularity recently but it should be tempered with low intensity or active recovery workouts.  Developing a habit of taking your resting heart rate each morning provides the best feedback to how you are responding to your workout regiment.  It typically takes 7-10 days to determine your average resting heart rate that will serve as your baseline for determining the most effective approach to your training.  A well-timed and much-needed rest day is as important as a great workout!

The areas offering the greatest opportunity for improvement are nutrition, hydration, running form and efficiency, post-workout recovery, sleep and stress management.  I recommend rating on a scale of 1-10 (10 being perfect) each of these areas to effectively manage your time.  Most runners focus on the act of running at the neglect of the other areas and their performance ultimately suffers the possibility of burnout or injury increases.

Take your time and establish a solid foundation of health, wellness and fitness by being consistent and moderate in your approach. Setting realistic goals and recovering quickly from setbacks are important to staying motivated and progessing to your ultimate goal.

I hope your New Year is filled with great health, adventure and inspiration!