5 Tips To Getting Physically Fit in the New Year

From Max Savar, Health and Wellness Director, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

It’s the time of year when many of us make, but can have a hard time sticking with, our New Year’s resolution – especially to get in shape. We make excuses, get discouraged and often don’t know the best workout for our bodies. The YMCA, with its focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, shares some tips to help you start and stay on the path to getting physically fit.

• Do your research. Develop a workout plan that’s right for you. Consult a physician if you have underlying health issues or concerns. Going from not working out at all to daily sessions at the gym can be overwhelming – and hard to maintain. Consider your previous fitness experience, past injuries and goals to ensure you’re working out in a way that will truly benefit your body and allow you to get the results you want. At the Y, we offer a virtual training system called ActivTrax. This web-based technology can be accessed from members’ home computers and offers customized exercise and nutritional guidance based upon the needs and goals of each member, using equipment that is available at the Y. 

• Set realistic and measurable goals. It is difficult to change your lifestyle overnight, but incremental steps can help you achieve and maintain results. Set small goals to ease your way into a new workout or diet plan. For example, start by swimming three laps in the pool, and then add more as you feel yourself getting stronger. Instead of cutting out sugars, carbs, etc. all at once, start by making a goal to eat a healthy breakfast every morning for a month before making other changes to your diet. Success in meeting these goals and seeing initial results will help motivate you to continuously set the bar higher.

• Get out of a workout what you put in. I always say, you can have it easy or you can have results. You don’t need to torture yourself at the gym, but you need to be prepared for a challenge. Strolling on the treadmill while reading a magazine is obviously a different workout than a spin class. Within limits, it is important and appropriate to push yourself to help get the results you want and ensure you are getting more physically fit.  

• Choose your training partner wisely. If you’re planning on having a gym buddy, make sure they are as dedicated as you are. A training partner that often backs out of workout sessions and isn’t willing to push themselves will only bring you down. Pick someone who is consistent and similarly motivated to get into a gym routine and make working out a consistent part of their lifestyle. At they Y, you have a lot of candidates to choose from a member of our fitness family – you’re part of a community that is behind you, supports you and wants you to succeed!

• If you opt to work with a trainer, find the right trainer for you. Working with a trainer can help make sure you are exercising effectively, and can also show you how to workout on your own. It is important to find a trainer who is going to work with you and understands the results you are looking to achieve. You are paying for results, not the workout!

By following these tips, you can make sure you’re starting off your New Year’s resolution on the right foot. Starting the process of getting more physically fit can seem daunting – especially if you don’t immediately see the results you expect. It’s important to focus on why you started on this path in the first place – the ability to be active with your friends, fit into that pair of jeans or set a healthy example for your children.

Learn more about your local Y’s fitness programs to help you get started at http://www.ymcachicago.org/programs/fitness.

Max Savar has more than 12 years of experience working in the fitness industry – working three years now in his role of health and wellness director at the Fry Family YMCA.

About the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago: The Y is Chicagoland’s leading nonprofit strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Through its 65 locations and more than 100 extension sites, the Y of Metro Chicago helps children learn and grow, teaches young people to lead, brings families closer, and encourages individual health and wellbeing. As one of the largest and oldest/most established cause-driven organizations/nonprofits in Chicago, YMCA programs impact hundreds of thousands of lives annually, helping to strengthen neighborhoods and respond to unique community needs across Chicagoland. To learn more, visit www.ymcachicago.org.