Spring has sprung! One of the first things I associate with Spring (and I’m sure many other people do, too) is Spring cleaning. The list is a long one! We all clean out our garages, donate the clothes we don’t wear anymore, move the couches and clean under the furniture, wash and clean out the cars, have garage sales to lighten our household loads, wash the windows, spray down the siding on the house, clean out or rearrange the cupboards and closets, and start planting or prepping the garden, etc. We focus so much on cleaning and organizing everything else around us, but you know what other thing we should really put on our list that could also use some serious Spring cleaning? Our bodies!!
Think about it for a second. We’ve been hibernating for several months. During those hibernation months we encounter some of the most indulgent, food-focused holidays and celebrating of the year. This is followed by the much anticipated New Year. Yeah, we claim our weightloss resolutions for the 1st of the year, but by Spring we’ve all but forgotten or lost motivation for our health and fitness goals. It’s really not surprising, if you think about it. A fresh, new year is exciting, but there’s not a whole lot to propel most of us forward after the initial excitement has passed. The Winter months (at least in Minnesota) are gloomy and snowy and the days are shorter with darkness settling in around 5PM. Not to mention, seasonal depression takes over bigtime the longer winter lingers. Let’s face it, with all of this going on we’re more likely to snuggle on the couch with a warm blanket, mindlessly snack on potato chips and comfort food, and watch hours of TV rather than head to the gym and prepare healthy meals after a long day at work.
Spring is a time of birth/rebirth, growth, renewal, and a fresh new start! Everything around us is going through some kind of transformation, so why not take this time to transform yourself!?
Here are some Spring cleaning items you may want to add to the checklist for your body:
- Find a workout routine you love that incorporates all the elements: cardio, weights, and flexibility.
- Get yourself some fun new fitness toys to play with like training equipment (weights, resistance bands, a jump rope, etc.), a fitness tracker, or other fitness goodies.
- Clean out the refrigerator and cupboards, toss everything that’s not clean, and replace it with lean protein, complex carbs, fruits, veggies, and whole foods.
- Drink more water…at least a gallon daily.
- Go on a shopping spree and find a super-cute new pair of sneakers and a hot new workout outfit to get you excited about being active.
- Rearrange the furniture and create an environment conducive to making good healthy choices for transformation.
- Find a buddy and work on your bodily Spring cleaning together – it’s always more fun with someone else!
- Load up on some new music! Music is motivational and can really help you jam through a good workout!
- Create a dream board and fill it with photos of physiques you admire and quotes that inspire you!
- Subscribe to a fitness magazine or buy a new book to read. The more you educate yourself about health and fitness the more likely you are to live a healthy lifestyle.
- Buy yourself a cute new summer dress or swim suit in your goal size to help motivate you during your transformation.
I hope you decide to do some bodily Spring cleaning and add as many of these items to your personal list as possible! These are just some of the ideas I came up with, but if you think of anything else you’d like to add to this list, please share and comment below! The more ideas, the better! Happy Spring cleaning!
Yours in Health,
Tanya
Tri Fitness Blog 