We were recently invited to become FitFluential Ambassadors and we are super excited about it! We've been into sports since we were little. Our mom was convinced that we should try a little bit of everything. Here are some of the activities she got us involved in: gymnastics, ballet, horseback riding, soccer, cheerleading, basketball, cross country, and track. We loved the competition and team environment! Once we went off to college, we each continued on our own paths. Jen rowed for the University of North Carolina, and I continued to run, which I found a love for.
Additionally, we both received Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships to attend college, which meant that we would commission into the military upon graduation. Physical fitness is a huge part of military life, especially the Marine
Corps, which is where we both ended up!
Although Jen has left the Marine Corps, fitness is a huge part of her life. She's a relatively new mom and she works hard to set a solid example for her beautiful daughter, Reagan! I'm still on active duty, and am lucky to be able to workout during working hours quite often. We both love to run and keep our passion going by signing up for local races and writing this blog, of course!
Recently my mother-in-law, Dorothy, started her own running journey. She used to be very active and she missed it. During her recent trip out to visit us in California, we got to go running together and she even went to her first CrossFit class!
As we near the season of resolutions, here are some suggestions for how you can get started on your OWN fitness journey:
1) Establish realistic goals. Gauge your current fitness level and set some goals that are achievable in a 30-day period. For example, if you've never run before, set a goal of being able to run one mile straight at the end of the 30-day period. You can achieve this by combining running and walking until you're comfortable with running the entire mile.
2) Find a group or a friend to workout with. If you're anything like us, you feed off of the motivation of others. Having a friend to workout with also helps keep you accountable for scheduled workouts.
3) Get a lot of rest. Your body is being pushed to new limits and rest is a critical factor. Treat your body well and strive to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
4) Drink lots of water. You have to keep yourself well hydrated and your body LOVES water! Even when it's cold out, you will sweat during a workout. Make sure
you have water on hand while you are working out and throughout the day.
5) Track your progress. Keep a log of your total mileage, time spent running, route, and how you felt during the workout. Include cross-training and strength-training workouts as well. This will give you a way to look back and see how far you've come on your fitness journey. You can use an old notebook, or take it high tech and use on of the many FREE online tools (Runner's World offer's a great one here.)
6) Plan your workouts. This one is key for sticking to your fitness goals. We all have days when we'd rather loaf on the couch and snack on some chips, but if you have a schedule, you will be more likely to stick to it. Even on those days when you don't feel like running, just tell yourself, "I'll go for 10 minutes." Most likely, you'll start and realize you just needed to kick yourself in the butt to get out there and you'll go longer. And if, after 10 minutes, you're still not feeling it, at least you did a little bit to maintain your current fitness level.
7) Get the proper workout gear. Running isn't an expensive sport compared to lots of others out there. That's one of its main draws. However, go ahead and invest in a good pair of running shoes. Take the time to go to a specialty shoe store (Fleet Feet, TrySports, etc) and have someone analyze your stride and recommend the right shoe for you. Purchase a good pair of shorts and a nice sweat-wicking top. We all have old soccer shorts and cotton t-shirts, but when you're running on a regular basis, you'll want the right gear.
Additionally, we both received Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships to attend college, which meant that we would commission into the military upon graduation. Physical fitness is a huge part of military life, especially the Marine
Corps, which is where we both ended up!
Although Jen has left the Marine Corps, fitness is a huge part of her life. She's a relatively new mom and she works hard to set a solid example for her beautiful daughter, Reagan! I'm still on active duty, and am lucky to be able to workout during working hours quite often. We both love to run and keep our passion going by signing up for local races and writing this blog, of course!
Recently my mother-in-law, Dorothy, started her own running journey. She used to be very active and she missed it. During her recent trip out to visit us in California, we got to go running together and she even went to her first CrossFit class!
As we near the season of resolutions, here are some suggestions for how you can get started on your OWN fitness journey:
1) Establish realistic goals. Gauge your current fitness level and set some goals that are achievable in a 30-day period. For example, if you've never run before, set a goal of being able to run one mile straight at the end of the 30-day period. You can achieve this by combining running and walking until you're comfortable with running the entire mile.
2) Find a group or a friend to workout with. If you're anything like us, you feed off of the motivation of others. Having a friend to workout with also helps keep you accountable for scheduled workouts.
3) Get a lot of rest. Your body is being pushed to new limits and rest is a critical factor. Treat your body well and strive to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
4) Drink lots of water. You have to keep yourself well hydrated and your body LOVES water! Even when it's cold out, you will sweat during a workout. Make sure
you have water on hand while you are working out and throughout the day.
6) Plan your workouts. This one is key for sticking to your fitness goals. We all have days when we'd rather loaf on the couch and snack on some chips, but if you have a schedule, you will be more likely to stick to it. Even on those days when you don't feel like running, just tell yourself, "I'll go for 10 minutes." Most likely, you'll start and realize you just needed to kick yourself in the butt to get out there and you'll go longer. And if, after 10 minutes, you're still not feeling it, at least you did a little bit to maintain your current fitness level.
7) Get the proper workout gear. Running isn't an expensive sport compared to lots of others out there. That's one of its main draws. However, go ahead and invest in a good pair of running shoes. Take the time to go to a specialty shoe store (Fleet Feet, TrySports, etc) and have someone analyze your stride and recommend the right shoe for you. Purchase a good pair of shorts and a nice sweat-wicking top. We all have old soccer shorts and cotton t-shirts, but when you're running on a regular basis, you'll want the right gear.
7 comments:
Can you tell I'm up way too late?! CONGRATS on being selected for FitFluential! I was chosen as well and from what I've seen it's shaping up to be an amazing group!
Congratulations on being chosen!
Great tips! And way to go Dorothy! :)
Congrats on becoming a FFA! Great tips too.
Realistic goals. Yes. I think it's easy to read others' blogs and try to do what they do. Marathon? Yes please! IronMan? Sign me up! Of course, it's all well and god until you have to actually train for it ;)
Great workouts this week ladies!
Well and *good* :P
Tip #7 and workout gear. I need HELP! Where does a girl find good winter running gear? Suggestions?
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Love the feedback and the motivation. Thanks!