How To Stay Fit Once School Starts
Summer fitness is often very different from keeping fit during the school year. While summer trips can get in the way of regular workouts, . Once you head back to school, it can be a challenge staying on track with your fitness goals.
It’s hard to think about adding time to work out to your crazy busy schedule. But you can fit in exercise if you change the way you look at it. Hitting the gym or even taking a yoga class can easily be a two-hour event. It’s not easy to find a hole that big in your daily schedule, especially if you have a paying job in addition to your parenting job. Or if you have kids with busy schedules of their own. Or if you’re doing everything solo. Or (likeliest of all) some combination of all of the above. As summer draws to a close and kids head back to school, families are slowly adjusting to new routines and safety protocols for in-person learning. But don’t let a full fall schedule prevent you from reaching your personal fitness goals — these simple tips will help you stay fit once the kids have headed back to the classroom.
Evaluate Your Past Routine to Create a New Routine
Unless the school year is a new thing for you, one thing to remember at back to school time is that you have been there before. Think back on your routine from last school year. Evaluate what worked and what you would like to change. You can also think about the summer exercise you have enjoyed and find ways to work it into your back to school routine. The warm weather offers plenty of opportunity for keeping fit through hiking, biking, swimming, and other outdoor activities. If you loved going to the pool regularly during the summer, find an indoor pool to keep going when the weather turns cold.
Set New Fitness Goals
Fitness goals are key to establishing a workout routine. What areas do you want to improve in your fitness regime? Do you want to increase strength for lifting, stamina to improve your performance in activities like boxing or basketball, or a combination of each? You can also think about the summer activities you like to do and how you can train for next summer.
Make a Commitment
It’s easy to skip a workout when your only plan is to “fit it in” when you have free time. Realistically, how often do you actually have free time? A better plan would be to register with Traveling Trainers, join a volleyball league, or schedule a weekly run with friends who will hold you accountable for showing up.
Make Sure Your Workouts are Balanced
As you set your fitness goals and plan your back to school routine, make sure you account for all your major muscle groups, especially when thinking about strength training. Your routine should include a balanced focus on the legs, arms, shoulders, chest, back, and core. Think about opposing muscle groups like quads and hamstrings, for example, and make sure you work each equally to avoid potential injuries down the road. Don’t want to think about all that – sign up for an intro session with Traveling Trainers and we will map it out for you!
Get Involved
Youth sports teams, especially those aligned with community-based organizations, are almost always recruiting volunteer coaches, so when you sign your little one up for soccer, why not head out on the field too? Coaching may not be the most strenuous physical activity, but you’ll be in better shape than if you spend practices sitting in the stands on Facebook.
Join a Class
Even the most self-motivated people can benefit from a little structure. Signing up for a Traveling Trainers class can give you additional opportunity to work out, a little structure and added motivation, as well as a positive voice to provide some encouragement.
Stay Positive
Be patient with yourself and have a good attitude as you adjust your fitness goals to your back to school routine. It may take a little time to get back into the swing of things, so don’t beat yourself up if you miss a workout because of a school activity or a packed day once in a while.
Above all, have fun!
Contact Traveling Trainers and have a great time while reaching your fitness goals in the safety of your own home.