6 Ways to Stay Motivated and Keep Fit Throughout the Holidays

Available for Interviews: Dr. Mimi Secor

Dr. Mimi is a fitness and health advocate who is passionate about helping women to lose weight and feel great, and is the author of Healthy & Fit at Any Age: A Guide to Creating nutrition, exercise, and mindset habits for busy women!

What Dr. Secor Can Say in an Interview on
Staying Motivated With Our Fitness Goals:
Let’s face it: The last thing we want to do after exhausting ourselves after a long workday is exercise. Yet, we all know that working out is so important for not only our bodies but for our minds and overall good health. How do we keep pushing ourselves to realize our fitness goals? With the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holiday season, we all need to be extra mindful to not let our fitness fall by the wayside.

My first suggestion is a make-or-break concept! If you “Fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This is especially true when you anticipate being
physically tired and emotionally drained after a long work shift. Suggestions to combat this problem include the following:
    1. Plan ahead. Pack your workout gear and a snack in your car so you are ready to exercise right after work. If your workout clothes are already in your car and you change at work, you’ll be ready to hit the gym (if opened now) or exercise at your favorite outdoor location. It’s hard to leave the house once you get home—especially after a long workday.
    2. Plan to work out with a friend. creating accountability will increase the probability you will follow through with your intention to exercise after work.
    3. Don’t procrastinate. If you are planning to work out after work, get started as soon as you get home. To be successful, it helps if you plan in advance what you will be doing for exercise when you get home. This should include setting everything up in advance that you will need: workout clothes, shoes, exercise equipment, and preplan what you will be doing—cardio, weights, yoga, pilates, etc.
    4. Take a break. If you are just too tired to exercise immediately after work, eat a snack, drink some water, and even consider taking a short nap for 15-20 minutes. But set an alarm so you don’t sleep too long. This can recharge your battery and give you renewed energy to exercise. Too long a nap can backfire and cause excessive drowsiness.
    5. Work out at home. If you are not going to a gym or fitness center there are many different types of activities you might consider doing at home. These include taking walking, running, bicycle riding, jump roping, hula hooping, dancing to music, trying the 7-minute New York Times Workout, plank, sit-ups, practice yoga. Just keep moving for at least 15 mins, ideally 30-60 minutes (150 minutes per week is recommended).
    6. Consider mindful exercise. If you are just too tired to exercise, try stretching. Also, consider combining stretching with a breathing meditation. Simply breathe in on the count of 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, then exhale for 5 seconds. Count to yourself while you breathe. This breathing meditation will clear your mind, helps reduce stress-associated cortisol levels, and promotes neurogenesis (growth of new nerves in the hippocampus). In contrast, chronic stress inhibits neurogenesis.
Remember, new habits are “hard until they are easy” and “counterintuitive until intuitive.” Persist, plan, and think positively and it will get easier!

Interview: Dr. Mimi Secor

Dr. Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is a Nurse Practitioner, Educator, Health & Fitness Advocate specializing in Women’s Health for over 40 years. She is a sought-after national speaker and consultant who has been featured in numerous local and national media outlets and is still actively educating advanced practice clinicians and consumers around the country and the world. She is the author of the #1 International bestselling book, Debut a New You: Transforming Your Life at Any Age, and the newest title: Healthy & Fit at Any Age: A Guide to Creating nutrition, exercise, and mindset habits for busy women! is now available.

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