20 Fitness Tips to Come out of Hibernation Mode

Hibernation mode is over and it can be a doozy to readjust. This is a sponsored post with the Niche Parent Network & Conference. All opinions are my own. I am by no means a fitness professional, but I thought I would share some tips that have worked for me. The polar vortex and never-ending winter really did a number on me this year. It’s time to take the right fitness steps for a happy and healthy spring!

20 Fitness Tips to Come out of Hibernation Mode

1. Try on your spring clothes. Or, if you really want to get crazy, try on a bikini. This definitely showed me the damage I did over the winter.
2. Buy a different veggie every time you go grocery shopping. Same with fruit. This is a great way to slowly introduce new healthy foods into your diet.
3. Get outside. Just breathing in that fresh air can be motivating.
4. Soak in some sun. Nothing beats that natural Vitamin D that the sun provides. In moderation, soaking up some rays can be extremely therapeutic.
5. Seek help. Consulting weight loss programs or weight loss clinics can be educational, motivating, and life changing.
6. Grab a friend. Exercise is more fun with a friend. Create a buddy system where you challenge and motivate each other to stay on track.
7. Google it! There are so many weight loss tips and weight loss tools available these days. Knowledge is just a click away.
8. Mood music. Update your playlist with songs that make you want to move. Sometimes just playing it as I put my workout shoes on amps me up to really get going.
9. Move more. Just be active in everything you do. Butt squeezes in your office chair, squats while folding the laundry, air punches while waiting for water to boil – just shake it.
10. Fire up the grill. For us, meals change once we get the grill going. We love to grill lean meats and lots of veggies. Cheesy casseroles are retired and lighter foods are on the menu.
11. Prepare healthy snacks. Take at least one day of the week to spend a chunk of time cutting fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks. Make them easy to grab for snacks throughout the week. Having them ready is key.
12. Brush your teeth more often. Clearly, great for oral hygiene, but also can help you stop eating.
13. Reward yourself with non-food rewards. Once you complete a goal, get yourself a pedicure or a new outfit – not a sundae.
14. Set realistic goals. Mini-goals that can be achieved somewhat quickly are more likely to keep you going. If you overwhelm yourself right away it can scare you right off your path.
15. Avoid trigger foods. I know people always say, “You can still have your favorite foods, just in moderation”. Well, for me, that doesn’t work so much. My first bite of ice cream can lead to a full blown frenzy. So, I am better off just avoiding it for a while!
16. Social media. “Like” a bunch of motivating pages on Facebook. Seeing quotes and pictures of inspirational messages in your feed can help set the right tone to your day. Also, create an amazing “fitness board” on Pinterest.
17. Put workouts on your calendar. You don’t find time to workout, you make it. Add exercise to your calendar and keep it like a hot date.
18. Listen to your body. For some people the perfect breakfast is oatmeal, for some it’s eggs. Not everyone is the same and we all respond differently to foods.
19. Take it slow. Don’t do a crash diet or anything drastic. Just go at your own pace and try to make the small changes part of your lifestyle.
20. Journal. Write down how these changes made you feel. Most likely you will have a lot more energy and feel better than you did during your hibernation mode!

These are just a few fitness tips that are slowly helping me come out of hibernation mode. Do you have any to share? I’d love to hear them in the comments.