A New Month of Opportunities Awaits!

Well here we are one week into September of 2014. My New York City neighborhood is back to its normal frenetic pace. The kids are back in school and everyone who vacationed outside the concrete jungle are back from their summer hideaways. That means the gyms are crowded again, too. So I figured I’d use this Motivation Monday to remind everyone this is the perfect time to incorporate some fitness into your back-to-reality routine.

Parents are helping their kids deal with new teachers, new schedules and after-school activities. If you’re like me and you don’t have kids, the speed of everyday living tends to amp up a notch thanks to the end of summer Fridays and the beginning of new projects and deadlines. The good news is fitting some fitness into your September routine doesn’t have to be impossible.

Here are some tips to make things a little less overwhelming:

• Set a Time & Put It In Writing: If you drive your kids to school or your spouse to the train station, figure out if there’s time immediately following a drop-off or right before a pick-up for a workout. You could hit the gym for a group exercise class, drive a few more blocks to the park for a run or meet a fitness friend for a brisk walk or game of tennis. Listing the activity in your smart phone calendar or on the daily to do-list stuck to the fridge can offer a visual boost to keep that workout on schedule.
• Ten Minutes of Something is Better than Nothing!  As time seems to grow more precious each day, there are plenty of workouts geared toward gaining maximum results in less time.  Click here for a refresher on my “Tear-It-Up-in-Ten Circuit” as featured recently on the Working Woman Report. (Don’t forget to tune in for a new episode tonight at 8:30 pm NYCLife Channel, which is either 25 or 22 depending on your provider.)
• “Fall” Into Healthy Eating Habits: If you pack lunch for the kiddies, why not add  just a few minutes to the prep time and make some healthy snacks or meals for yourself? I spend about 30 minutes every Sunday slicing and dicing veggies including peppers, celery sticks and carrots and then pack them in reusable containers or individual plastic bags. I can grab a portion anytime as a healthy snack or as a side to a turkey sandwich. Some of my other favorite on-the-go eats include almonds, low-fat string cheese and non-fat plain Greek yogurt.
• Wardrobe Prep:  If you plan to exercise first thing in the morning, put your workout wear in the bathroom the night before. It’s usually the first room we visit after we wake up, so if your clothes are staring you in the face, it may be harder to ditch the workout. If you’re exercising after work, pack your gym bag the night before and leave it by the door to grab on your way out. (And don’t forget to grab one of your prepped snacks for some healthy fuel, too!)

Finally, it’s important to remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. Getting fitness on your schedule and healthy foods into your fridge are two big steps toward a healthier  you. If you indulged in more ice cream or margaritas than you planned over the summer, don’t sweat it. It’s a new month, a new season is coming and there will be plenty of chances to get your butt in gear so you can have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!