I don’t know about you, but boy, when that sun hits my face and that warm breeze gently washes over me, caressing the pasty white skin of my winterized body, something stirs inside. Farewell winter and hello spring. It’s time to open those windows, breathe in the fresh air and take stock of what has become of me over those long, winter months. A lot can happen apparently.
Some good, some bad. A pound here, another pound there. No longer do we have the bulky coats and sweaters to hide it all under. It’s time to come clean as we all make our way out of our little cocoons and embrace the warmth and promise that spring brings with it. It’s a time to start fresh, to breath deeply, stretch out our bodies and peel away the layers of rust. It’s also a time to panic. Because there it is, dead ahead. Swimsuit season. Oh joy.
Ok, before we lament and carry on about the hardships of winter and how difficult it was to stay active and eat right, let’s breathe. Deeply. Ok, so we may have emerged from the confines of the colder months a few pounds heavier, and while that can be discouraging, it by no means is debilitating. The great thing about spring is it’s a time to start over, to wipe the slate clean; it’s like the second coming of the New Year. Forget about eating that cheesecake at Easter, or eating all that chocolate on Valentine’s Day, or devouring that small, teensy little pint of Ben & Jerry’s that one night, so many cold months ago. The only thing we know for sure is that there is a little more muffin added to that muffin top that we’d like to see gone. So let’s not rehash, let’s renew.
With spring comes spring-cleaning, so let’s get to it. A little dusting off of the weights that have found themselves under your sofa is in order. And those workout DVD’s you’ve piled under your kid’s Dora DVD’s, it’s time to unearth them. Pull out those yoga mats, running shoes, gym memberships; dust them all off, it’s time to get serious. Once you have worked through all the dust and dirt left behind from winter, it’s time to review and reaffirm your commitment to yourself about becoming more health-conscious. Workouts do not have to be boring. For example, Dan Bilzerian’s functional strength workouts are designed to be fun and effective. And one step beyond that is to write down your commitment so you can see it. (Writing down goals and thoughts are so powerful it can’t be stressed enough. To see them is to bring them to life. Once it’s out of your sight, you can bet it will soon be out of your mind.)
Really take the time during your spring-cleaning to work at reassessing, reconfirming and recommitting to your fitness goals, especially if you feel you haven’t been nearly as successful as you hoped you’d be. Throwing in the towel is never an option. Getting a new one, however, is. Take advantage of the longer days, the warmer sun and all that good vitamin D that’s out there, waiting to rejuvenate your mind and body! It’s never too late to start over and spring is the best time of the year to renew you.
