start in October
Wanna know how to get a new year’s resolution to stick?? Start in October.
Like - now :)
It's all too common for people to put off healthy habits until the new year, thinking "I'll get it together in January. I’ll wait to start working out regularly. I’ll allow myself to indulge around the holidays. Then I’ll change everything about myself and my lifestyle in the new year. I’ve never been able to do it before, but 2025 feels like my year!” 😂
Sorry my dear, but the likelihood of that panning out is low to quite low.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for enjoying yourself at parties and living your life . . . . that’s not what this is about. This is about not letting the last few months of the year take you down. If you’ve been reading along for a while, you know I’m not suggesting perfection. At all. I’m suggesting you get a head start on your fitness journey now. Don’t wait for January to start feeling better!
There are 12 weeks left in 2024. If you work out 3 days/week for the rest of the year, you’ll get 36 workouts in before January. Imagine how different the beginning of 2025 would feel for you! Taking action today, rather than waiting for a new year's resolution, is the best way to make real, lasting change.
Need some help getting started? Grab our New Member Special - 2 weeks of unlimited classes for $25!
let’s start 2025 feeling GOOD!
I’ll workout when I have more free time.
I’ll get to the gym when:
things slow down at work
all my travel is done
I have more free time
These are things I hear quite often. And I get it. Sometimes life is so crazy it’s really tough to squeeze in workouts. Exercising can feel like a luxury you just don’t have time for. One that you genuinely plan to tackle when life slows down.
But there’s two big reasons why this mindset won’t serve you well in the long run.
#1. You’re always going to be busy.
I don’t know a single human being that isn’t busy. Are some of us more busy than others? Do kids play a big role in time management and flexibility? Yes of course! But you my dear reader - you’re smart, successful, and always trying to get better. So I hate to break it to you, but you’re probably not going to get less busy 🤷♀️
#2. If you wait until you have free time to workout, you’ll stop as soon as life gets busy again.
It seems perfectly logical to wait until you have free time to start. But when do you consistently have free time? I’m guessing your answer is -rarely-
Learning to get your workouts in even when it’s hard will ensure you stick with it long term, not just when it’s convenient for your schedule.
Once you’re working out consistently for a few months, it will become part of your normal routine, your normal (BUSY) life. So as loco as it may sound, the ideal time to start is when you’re busy. Master the most challenging version first, then the rest will feel like cake.
Need some help getting started? Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for $25! We’d love to workout with you.
NO ENERGY TO WORKOUT?
Don’t feel like working out? I get it. Sometimes you need a few days off, maybe a week off, or even longer in some cases. But what happens when you take too much time off? When the couch becomes your bestie and the thought of going to the gym fills you with dread? You’ll have even LESS energy and motivation to get to the gym than you did before!
A body at rest remains at rest and a body in motion remains in motion until an outside force steps in. It’s Newton’s Law my friend and it doesn’t only apply to outer space, it applies to human physiology as well :)
If you have no energy to work out, working out will give you more energy to work out. No, that was not a typo 😂
Those first couple workouts back will be tough, but once you get going you’ll wonder why you ever quit.
DON’T LET YOUR WEEKENDS DERAIL YOUR PROGRESS
Spring is in full effect! Warm weather got you ready to partaaaaaaaaaaay?
beach trips ✅
drinks on the patio ✅
pool days ✅
This time of year makes it difficult to stay on track. Perhaps you find sticking to your fitness/healthy eating routines attainable Monday-Thursday, but then Friday starts a 3-day indulgence extravaganza that leaves you feeling like @ss on Monday morning.
Sound familiar? No judgement, happens to the best of us.
There are a couple things that are likely happening here.
YOU'RE BEING TOO RESTRICTIVE DURING THE WEEK
Most people only have so much self control. If you're not allowing yourself certain foods during the week - especially foods you love - there is a strong likelihood that eventually you'll binge TF out of them. For example: you love dessert but don't allow yourself any during the week because you're being "good." Then Saturday night one bowl of ice cream turns into an entire tub real quick.
You'd be better off eating a small bowl of ice cream every night. That way you avoid eating so much at once that you feel ill, inside and out.
YOU'RE DRINKING TOO MUCH
Sorry, I said it. And I'm not judging you - I love a good cocktail! But if you're drinking multiple days per week, it's going to be really difficult to meet your fitness goals.
While drinking obviously adds extra calories to your daily intake, it's not just that. Most people's eating habits change drastically while they're drinking and of course the next day. Do you come home and indulge in some late night broccoli? Is your go-to hangover meal grilled fish, rice, and vegetables? 🤢 I think not.
YOU’RE BEING INCONSISTENT
In order to continue progressing in your fitness journey, your body needs consistency. Consistently getting to the gym and consistently nourishing our body.
Under-eating Monday through Thursday then blowing it out of the water Friday through Sunday will probably result in an overall caloric surplus (which can cause weight gain) AND probably leave you feeling like crap for about half the week. If you feel like crap, you probably won't have the best workouts . . . . or might even miss them altogether.
And that my darling, is not what I want for you.
I want you to reap all the benefits of working out, I want you feeling your best all day every day.
WHY WE LACK SELF CONFIDENCE
A lot of people struggle with self esteem, and for many reasons.
Maybe we grew up hearing criticism from family members, teachers, or coaches. Perhaps we internalized and believed things about ourselves for so long that they're hard to change. This stuff can run deep.
At the highest level though, the most common source of perpetually low self esteem in adults is not keeping your word to yourself.
If you keep saying you're going to work out, eat better, go to bed early, get your steps in, etc, etc. and you don't actually do it, you continuously let yourself down. Each time this happens your self confidence takes a hit.
So how do we change this?
We start doing what we say we're going to do when we say we're going to do it.
We become reliable. Not just reliable to others, which is very powerful; but reliable to ourselves. Each time we do what we say we're going to do is a small victory until eventually we're proud of the person that we are.
Start keeping your commitments to yourself and watch how your world starts to change. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)
TURN IT ALL AROUND WITH JUST ONE STEP
You know something amazing about fitness? You can spend years trashing your body . . . . eating like crap, not moving enough, getting poor sleep . . . . and you can turn it all around with just ONE step in the right direction.
One healthy meal.
One walk.
One workout.
One good night sleep.
One healthy choice can completely change your wellness trajectory.
The human body is extremely resilient. People can spend years, even decades in poor health and then reverse it with consistent effort.
Whether you've fallen off for weeks, months, or years - you can get back on track. Start with one healthy choice. You'll not only feel better physically, but you'll be proud of yourself too - and THAT might be more powerful than anything.
4 WAYS TO MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS OTHER THAN THE SCALE
It's super common for people to use weight loss as the only measure of success when it comes to their workouts.
This way of thinking can be harmful for many reasons! Exercise has so many amazing benefits besides some arbitrary number on a scale.
If any of these apply to you, then your workouts are working, whether the scale changes or not.
You're getting stronger. You can lift more weight, do more reps, or do exercises you weren't able to do before.
You're feeling more energized and productive throughout the day. Your brain is firing at work and you're not hitting that 2pm wall like you used to.
Your clothes fit differently. This is a great sign you're losing fat and/or gaining muscle!
You feel more confident. Whether it's carrying heavy groceries/dog food/children/etc. or playing pickleball with your friends, you can handle it!
Let's learn to celebrate these victories and keep showing up even if the number on the scale isn't dropping.
BIG NEW YEAR ENERGY
Happy New Year! I hope you're coming off some happy times with friends, family, good food, and a break from the daily grind. For those of you that may not love the holidays, might feel completely stressed out by them, I hope you are now recovering!
January is a buzzy time. . . . people are inspired to get to the gym, dial in their nutrition, read all the books, and solve the world's problems. If you're feeling that burst of motivation - then hell yea! capitalize on it and get to work. You can accomplish a lot when fueled by new year resolution energy!
Heads up: buzz kill incoming . . . .
Motivation alone is not enough. Sorry to say it, but according to the research, it's true. You actually already know this because it's happened to you a million times. You're super motivated to start a new workout routine, nutrition plan, job, relationship - anything! You put your best foot forward for a while and then inevitably, that motivation eventually wears off. It's only natural. You can't stay up that high forever.
This is where consistency comes into play. When our motivation wears off we have to fall back on consistency. We need an established routine that's there for us when we don't feel like showing up.
So. . . . let's use this new year energy as fuel to form healthy habits. Go ahead and get your workout schedule planned out and stick to it! Create the routine while you're feeling motivated. When the motivation leaves you, your routine will be there to catch you.
If you can stay consistent all year long, 2024 may just be your best one yet :)
WHY AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT?!
Are you interested in fat loss? While it's not 100% of people, most people come to Heat with the goal of losing weight.
If you go from being sedentary to working out several times per week, most people will lose fat pretty quickly due to the new stimulus of exercise. But once your body gets used to this more-active-than-before lifestyle, the fat loss rate will likely decrease.
If you're training consistently and intelligently and still aren't losing fat as you wish, it's likely due to your diet. You've heard it before - you can't out train a bad diet. If you're consuming more calories than you're burning, the fat loss will not only halt, it will probably change directions.
Dialing in your nutrition is a huge piece of the fitness puzzle that oftentimes gets overlooked. You could be doing everything else "right" but if you're not nailing your nutrition it can feel like you're spinning your wheels.
If your nutrition is dialed in, so many other important things fall into place. Your performance in the gym, energy levels, sleep, mood, and general happiness levels will likely improve. Who doesn't want that?!
WHY SORE MUSCLES AREN’T ALWAYS INDICATIVE OF A GOOD WORKOUT
Sore muscles don’t always mean you had a great workout. There are so many other important factors to take into account.
Ever found yourself so sore the day after a workout that you wince at the mere thought of stairs or sitting down on the toilet?! Many of us have experienced this and thought - yes! that must have been a great workout! It's a common belief that muscle soreness is an indicator of a productive workout, but let's explore why that might not always be the case.
Soreness isn't always a reliable indicator of progress.
Soreness is more often a result of doing something your muscles aren't accustomed to rather than a clear measure of strength gains. That's why you get super sore after starting a new training program or getting back in the gym after a vacation. Your muscles just aren't used to it!
Too much soreness can lead to injury.
Pushing your body to the point of extreme soreness too frequently can actually be counterproductive. If your body feels like crap going into every workout, the likelihood of getting hurt goes way up. Overtraining can lead to injuries and burnout, hindering your long-term fitness success.
Recovery and consistency matter more!
Instead of focusing solely on soreness, consider your overall progress and recovery. Have you been able to increase your weights over time? Has your form improved? Are you sleeping better? Do you have more energy throughout your day?
These are the indicators of improvement in the gym. Consistency in your workouts, proper nutrition, and sufficient rest play a more substantial role in achieving your fitness goals than how sore you get.
While that feeling of soreness can feel rewarding and even addictive at times, remember it's not all that matters. Not even close!
6 REASONS TO BRING YOUR WORKOUT OUTDOORS
As the summer is winding down, the fall weather is finally here. That means that it's time to get back outside and enjoy the sunny, 70 degree days. Even better news, you can bring your workouts outdoors again! Here are our top 6 reasons why you should move your workout outside:
1 - Absorb some of that healthy sunlight
Sunlight, through Vitamin D, helps us fight feelings of depression and heart disease. The UVB rays in sunlight work with the cholesterol in our skin to produce Vitamin D within the kidneys and liver. Along with the natural production of Vitamin D, sunlight also helps to lower blood pressure, in turn reducing the risk of heart disease. With sunlight, your body releases a compound called nitric oxide that causes the blood vessels to dilate. As such, the blood pressure is lowered, leading to overall healthiness and a longer life. Sunshine also is a mood booster that helps you fight depression. Ever notice that slump you fall in during the cold and dreary, winter months? That is because your body is not producing as much serotonin, a neurotransmitter with an effect of calmness, due to this lack of sunshine
2 - Lower your stress levels
“Various studies have shown that activities performed in the "wilderness or urban nature areas" show results of reduced stress. According to other studies published by the Journal of Environmental Psychology, people feel "more alive" when they take their workouts outdoors. They even showed that a person who walked outside reported more enjoyment and received higher results on vitality and energy tests (lower anxiety and depression) than a person who walked inside on a treadmill.”
3 - Room to Move
“There's no denying the energy of a Heat workout in the studio - but bringing your training outdoors to an open field or park will allow you to move in some ways that are limited indoors. Challenging exercises such as sled pushes and pulls, hill sprints, ladder drills, and medicine ball throws to name a few are all much easier accessed at an outdoor workout. Also, while treadmills are great great training tools, they are no match for real running outdoors.
4 - Fresh Air
While we work hard to keep our gym clean, there is no denying the benefits of getting outside for some fresh air. The EPA found that indoor air is 2 -5 times more polluted than outdoor air. If you have a typical job, you probably spend at least 8 hours each day - so the fresh air could do your body good!
5 - Change of Scenery
A change of pace can be crucial to keeping your workout routine interesting, thus keeping you motivated to stick with it for the long haul. Getting outside is one the best ways to break up the monotony of your typical workout. Luckily for us, the city of Raleigh is filled with great parks (Halifax and Fletcher, to name a few), along with greenways, trails, rivers and lakes. There's no better time to take advantage of all of these opportunities than this time of year in NC.
6 - Fun!
Let's not forget that working out should be enjoyable! What are some of your favorite outdoor activities? Whether it's playing organized sports, swimming, running, or one of the many other options we have access to here in Raleigh -- grab a workout partner or two, get out in the sunshine and move! If your exercise routine puts a smile on your face, you'll be much more likely to stick with it.
This Fall, break the routine and get outside and move! You’ll be glad you did.