As we head into the holidays, many of us are starting to think about our New Year’s resolution. A fresh year on the calendar allows us to get a fresh start on our commitments and habits concerning different areas, and for a lot of us, a big focus is our health and our workout routines.
When thinking about our health, it’s important to come at it from a holistic perspective, and not just the number on the scale or a new workout.
So, as you develop your New Year resolutions, consider these components of overall health and wellness:
Mental Health
Maintaining good mental health should be at the top of the list for your New Year’s resolutions. The pandemic and other stress factors in the world and our lives have heightened over the past few years, and stress and anxiety can weaken the immune system and cause a whole host of other debilitating factors.
Make sure you layer self-care into whatever routines you set for yourself in 2023. Take time for yourself to do what you love, whether that’s reading a book, going for a walk, taking a bath, or meditating.
Being social and connecting with others is also a key factor when it comes to mental health. Consider taking a fitness class with a friend or family member, or just grab a neighbor and go for a walk or to the park.
Your Workout Routine
Looking at things holistically, make sure your regimen encompasses different modalities to condition your body for multiple items. We often bucket exercise into cardio and strength training, but training for a healthy body involves more.
If you have not yet worked functional training into your routine now is the time to do so. Functional training conditions your body to handle anything that comes it’s way, from walking three flights of stairs up to a friend’s apartment, to carrying groceries, to playing a friendly game of dodgeball, to performing on the golf course. It encompasses rotational and multiplanar exercises and significant dynamic movements that build strength as well as cardio endurance so that you are fit for life – not just your next workout.
Recovery and Restoration
A lot of people skip this critical component of exercise, but this is where the magic happens. It’s in the healing and repair that muscle development occurs and the body becomes more resilient and mobile. Hyperice percussive massagers, Vyper vibrating fitness roller and Hypersphere Therapy Balls are great recovery tools to consider.
For fitness facility operators, it’s critical that your space, amenities, and offerings are set up to facilitate the healthy New Year’s Resolutions your members and guests will be tackling. Make sure you are equipped to facilitate functional training, recovery, and self-care in the New Year.