I’ve been a pretty active person my whole life, but since moving to New York I’ve become extra dedicated to working out. I’m lucky that I don’t have a hard time convincing myself to exercise. It’s definitely not easy to work a full-time job and commit to a regular exercise plan, but it’s a priority for me. I think the biggest reason I’ve found success is that I found types of exercise that I really love.
Many people struggle with finding the energy or motivation to work out. There’s no getting around the fact that exercising is hard work. It’s also hard to fit it in to our super-busy daily lives. But remember this…you won’t feel better until you get moving. When you’re not regularly exercising, you’ll likely feel lethargic and unmotivated.
Picture of me bellydancing with my friend Ayano and the band Beatbox Guitar in Brooklyn in 2011
7 Healthy New Year’s Resolutions
#2 – Find Physical Exercise You Love and Commit to 4 Times a Week
What I love about exercise is that your hard work comes back to you. Check out these awesome benefits of exercise:
- Loads of energy
- Weight loss
- Stronger immune system
- Clearer skin, glowing skin
- Relief from stress and tension
- Confidence from improved body appearance
- Social interaction
- Boost in mood
- Reduced risk of life-threatening diseases
My favorite exercises are the barre method (a full-body work class that’s a mixture of pilates and ballet barre training) and group dance classes such as bellydance, hip-hop, and samba. Each of these incorporate a tough workout with fun music and an instructor-led class where I am constantly given feedback and challenges to push myself to the next level. These classes also ensure that I am surrounded by upbeat and healthy females who inspire me.
My second resolution for this year is to stick to my exercise routine, challenge myself to take new types of dance classes, and to continue to honor my commitment to exercising a minimum of 4 times a week.
What’s your favorite exercise? Have you found your niche? If not, why not try something new this year such as kundalini yoga, cycling, boot camp, or martial arts?
I included a few pictures of my exercise ventures over the past couple of years below.
See also: #1 Meditation
Weights, resistance ball, and resistance band from Pure Barre (barre method) classes
Picture of my with my dance buddy Kendy before a bellydance show
Picture of me with two of my Pure Barre instructors in an 80s themed class (photo by: Pure Barre NYC)
Here I am teaching a hiphop dance routine to my students in NYC
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A great new years resolution to implement. The benefits of exercise are endless. You have mentioned some of the more important ones here.