Stop the Excuses & Get Moving

"I don't have time!" "The kids have basketball practice." "It's too hot" OR  "It's too cold!" "I just got my hair done." The excuses continue, but ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Well, it's the summer time, and it is the time of year that we get outside, be active and enjoy the great weather! For many of us training, this is the time of the year that many of our half and full marathon trainings will start. I started full marathon training (my first full!) about a month ago and it has really motivated me to get out and run and hold myself accountable to being active each day. Being dedicated to a fitness routine like a race really plays a large role in achieving my running goals. About 27 percent of African American men & about 34 percent of African American women are not physically active. (Source: American Heart Association, 2008) At the top of each week, I plan out my health/fitness activities, so I know how to pack my bag, when I need to wake up early or let my husband know I will be home late, and of course, just get my mind right to stay on track for the week. Since starting my full marathon training, I have made it a point to be active each day. Even if it is just a rest day, I still want to make a point to get out and walk or do something to be active. No longer can I make those excuses to not get out and get moving. Even if you are not training for an upcoming race, there are small changes you can make in your daily routine, to make a positive difference in your health/fitness journey. 1) PACK AHEAD OF TIME. Pack your workout clothes the night before or lay out your morning workout clothes. It may sound unimportant but planning to workout is so crucial. Very often I wake up when my husband is still asleep, so finding my socks in the dark is never fun! Lay out your clothes, your watch, towel and whatever else you need so you are prepared. 2) PLAN AHEAD OF TIME. That's right, I put the time I plan to run or go to the gym on my calendar! Again, it may sound tedious or unimportant, but try it out this week! See if you stick to your schedule  a bit more closely compared to weeks before. 3) SMALL GOALS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT. Running a full marathon is great, but sometimes setting smaller goals helps us to get to that bigger goal! Increase your jogging in 30-60 increments or walk for 10 minutes longer today. Check out these "Five Great Reason to Stop the Excuses and Get Moving" below from UnitedHealthcare.                     Our friends over at UnitedHealthcare have an online contest to encourage you to learn more about fitness. Participants can earn entries into a sweepstakes by answering one question a day about fitness. We encourage you to to return to the site daily (mark it in your calendar!) to increase your chances of earning more entries. A weekly prize of a $25 gift care will be awarded and one individual will win the grand prize  a FitBit Flex and FitBit Aria Scale.  Additionally, the running group with the most online contest participation will receive 20 free SWYS Festival race entries. Go to http://livewellpassiton.com/bgr every day.  Be sure to enter your running club promo code provided on your local Facebook page.  Good luck! This promotion runs through July 31 Check out weekly fitness videos at uhctogether.com/bgr Comment below on what you plan to do this week to get moving!

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