By Blake & Gwen Beckcom | Fitness
With the summer in full swing, this is an ideal time to make changes to lifestyle routines. They should be wholesale and not just around the edges.
Robust activity is a good place to start with a focus on reaching equilibrium with the work-life balance. Think beyond the typical examples such as exercising, but consider activities that enrich and empower the holistic self.
Take a look at gym memberships, running or walking with a purpose, or joining a club of like-minded individuals. The type of exercising you choose should take the body and psyche through the paces. The overall rationale is to challenge norms with variety while adding a zest to life.
Join a gym
A plethora of gyms exist that offer flexibility for schedules while providing a host of services. Gaining entrance is available 24 hours per day with a card key or personal access code. They come equipped with more than saunas and steam rooms, but hot tubs and rock-climbing walls. There are kid programs for parents who want to maximize their time, and be role models of healthy choices.
Membership fees run the gamut with specials being offered to consumers regularly. Gone are the days of long contracts, but affordable options for every budget. Month-to-month dues has opened this opportunity to a new wave of clients. With myriad locations, completing a workout before, during and after work is easy.
Run or walk
Running like walking has been a staple on the lifestyle meter when it comes to an exercise program. For those that already engage in running, turn it up a notch, and train for a marathon. It opens the door to push you mentally and physically, making new friends, and competition.
A novel idea is to raise money for charity during annual events. Reach out to your favorite cause to find out their schedule, and dive in. This option is good for the heart and soul.
Join a club
Friendship and camaraderie are keys to a happy life so engaging in a course of action that cultivates these factors is a prudent idea. There are some individuals that fare better in their work-balance struggles when they share it with others.
Finding a group is not that difficult with colleagues, neighbors and online forums filled with potential. Bike shops and gyms are also a solid alternative.
Develop a regimen
Four types of exercises exist including endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Developing a program from one or a combination of all will add vigor to any lifestyle. Start a cadre of friends and family members as a way to spend time bonding and catching up.
Here is a brief list of benefits each activity adds to a healthy lifestyle:
- Flexibility: Stretching muscles keeps the range of motion fluid.
- Balance: One of the first signs of aging is the inability to maintain balance.
- Strength: Improving overall stamina bolsters long and busy days.
- Endurance: Raising heart rates helps regulate blood pressure and infuses lungs with fresh air.
Healthy lifestyles need more than sitting on the couch, humdrum exercise rituals, and heading off to work every day. Look through the prism of life experiences with a renewed resolve on the way to a stress-free and invigorating journey. The examples of robust activity discussed here will get you started.
—Blake and Gwen Beckcom run Fitness Together Mission Hills. Contact them at fitnesstogether.com/missionhills.
