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Time for a Break!
This View Never Gets Old!
It is hard to believe Labor Day is only two weeks away. To put it lightly, the summer of 2013 has been a bit of a blur. So, I’m taking a break from blogging to focus on crossing a few very important things off my summer to-do list that got delayed due to Dad’s surgery.
I’m also looking forward to finding some extra minutes for some much-needed down time following the whirlwind that began several months ago when the company I worked for hit some serious financial trouble and finally closed its doors. At the mandatory labor department meeting I attended last week, even our orientation leader reminded the group that the end of this month into Labor Day is anything but a peak hiring period. Practically half the responses to emails I’ve sent to contacts during the past week have been “out of office” messages.
So, on this particular Motivation Monday, I encourage you to enjoy these dwindling lazy days of the season to maybe do one or two things you’ve been putting off longer than you wanted. Spend an extra day at the beach, pool or park with the kids; read the best-seller that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand; add 10 minutes to your daily walk or run and sure, go ahead and have that extra glass of wine. Be good to yourself.
Once again, I thank all of you for your words of encouragement during the past month. I wish everyone a FITASTIC end to the summer and look forward to a new season filled with even more chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
The Last Hoorah!
Here’s to a sun-and-fun-filled Labor Day weekend!
TGIF!
For lots of people, including me, it’s getaway day for the last long holiday weekend of the summer of 2012.
Like many other summer weekends, we can look forward to kicking back at the beach or pool, maybe packing a picnic for the park or heading to a backyard barbecue. Whatever’s on your agenda this weekend, be sure to make make the most of every minute and enjoy the downtime!
Wherever you’re headed, I thought I’d offer some timely reminders on how to fit some fitness into the holiday weekend and make some smart food choices.
Click on these links for:
- Some beach workout ideas
- Other exercises you can get done outdoors
- A barbecue game plan
- Alternatives to high-calorie cocktails
Here’s to a Happy Labor Day weekend filled with plenty of reasons to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous! See you in September!
Mindful Monday
Now’s the perfect time to take stock of what makes you smile!
Photo by Leslie Hassler
I can’t believe we’re one week away from Labor Day. I’m part of the group that considers the holiday the unofficial end of summer.
When I was a kid, that meant dealing with a mix of dread and excitement in anticipation of a new school year. Now that I’m a grown up, (not that I always feel like one) even though I don’t have kids, I find this back-to-school time one of the best times to take stock of where I’m at and figure out where I’d like to go from here.
What does that mean exactly? It’s time for me to get out the big planner and set up a new schedule and some new deadlines for some new adventures. That involves taking all of the following into consideration:
- Reality: The hours involved with my Monday through Friday work schedule.
- Current deadlines: That includes the writing I do for the posts here each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Necessities: Working out on my own and the group exercise classes that my body and spirit can’t live without.
- New projects: I’ve been collecting information for a new writing project for quite some time and I need to get my butt in gear and start putting things together. I also want to lure some guest bloggers to appear on my site and hopefully get some of my writing on other sites in return. There’s a lot of social networking ahead of me!
- Down time: Yes, I plan to designate which days and/or nights I’ll be social and which ones where I’ll be alone to work on all the other “stuff” or simply chill out.
What’s my motivation for getting my fall plan on paper in the week ahead? Because when you have a to-do list in your head, it can be overwhelming. You stress about all there is to do, and with no plan, the stress festers and nothing gets done.
If you’re busy helping the kids get ready for the new school year, why not use this time to also get your own September schedule in order. Maybe this is the autumn you put it on your schedule to get to that gym class or meet a friend for a walk one or two days a week after you get the kids out the door. If the afternoons are better, then schedule an hour to get some exercise before you have to pick the kids up from practice or other after-school activity. While they’re busy with their extra-cirriculars, maybe that’s your hour to spend on a project you’ve had on the back burner for too long. Have you wanted to start your own blog or write a book? Or maybe now’s the time to find out what the Zumba craze is all about or take that photography class.
Making time for you doesn’t mean you’re being selfish. Prioritizing what you need to find your contentment will only make it easier for you and the people you care about to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Fall into Fitness
As I walked to work on this cool, breezy morning, I realized just how quickly the summer flew by. I know the calendar says we still have about 15 days left, but I think it’s safe to say most of us think of Labor Day as the unofficial end to the season. This also marks the time of year where people’s routines are getting back to “normal.” School starts, summer Fridays come to an end and Halloween items start popping up in the stores. (We won’t even talk about the Christmas decorations I’ve already seen in some stores.) So, forget New Year’s – this is the time to make fitness a part of your daily routine and turn your goals for a healthier lifestyle into a reality!
If you’ve been putting off joining a gym, now’s your chance to make it happen. Many health clubs are offering some of the best deals of the year. I know my gym, New York Sports Clubs, has offers including join now, pay later; refer a friend and get a $50 dues credit; and discounts on personal training packages. Other gyms like Crunch have month-by-month payment plans with no contracts. If you know someone who already belongs to a gym, ask him or her to get a guest pass so you can “tag along” for a workout. This gives you the chance to see if that particular gym has the right vibe for you.
This is also generally a time when gyms mix up the group exercise schedule a bit, so there are lots of opportunities to try some of the classes you’ve always been curious about. Don’t want to go it alone? See if a gym near the office offers classes that you and some colleagues could go to during a lunch break or after hours. Having a friend or loved one share in your fitness journey can be just the motivation you need to stick with your new routine.
Work at home or keep busy running the household? Carve out some time in the morning after sending off those morning emails or sending the kids off to school so you can head to the gym and get your heart pumping.
If the gym isn’t your thing, no sweat! Depending on where you live, fall is a beautiful time to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. Maybe there are hiking or biking trails not far from where you live or work. Got kids? Help them with their spiral and toss a football around on off-practice days or kick a soccer ball around the yard before homework and dinner time. Basically, make the most of the daylight while it lasts!
As we all settle in to our fall routines, it’s the perfect time to pencil exercise into your schedule so you don’t miss out on the many opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
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