10 Fitness Tips for National Women’s Health and Fitness Day!

Up to 100,000 women will participate this week in fitness activities organized by health clubs, clinics, senior centers and other community groups to mark National Women’s Health and Fitness Day on September 24, 2014. Note the day at the salon by putting out a bowl of fresh fruit in the salon or educating your clients about the benefits to their hair when they live a healthy lifestyle.

It’s also a good day to launch your own fitness program. These 10 tips for fitness success are based on those suggested by WebMD.com:

1. Be consistent. Start a food or fitness plan that you know you can stick with. If you want to rev up your workout or completely cut out dessert, you can always do that later.

2. Exercise effectively. A survey of 1,000 American Council on Exercise (ACE) personal trainers yielded three top strategies—tone your body through strength training, use interval training to make the most of your time and get your cardio/aerobic benefit by accumulating at least 60 minutes per day of low- to moderate-intensity activity.

3. Set realistic goals. Rather than aiming for this year’s marathon, develop habits that will gradually improve your fitness.

4. Find a buddy. Working out with a friend can solidify both your relationship and your dedication to fitness.

5. Customize—to yourself. If you’re busy at the salon and have little kids at home, getting to a gym may be unworkable. Instead, pop in a fitness CD, dance around to your favorite music or do floor exercises while you watch TV.

6. Do what you enjoy. From hiking or biking to tennis and salsa dancing, the way your body moves is less critical than finding the motivation to move it. Love the activity, and it won’t feel like working out!

7. Consult your body clock. Your workout will be most effective at the time of day when your energy is at its peak. You know whether you’re a morning person or you perk up later in the day.

8. Hire a trainer. A professional, at least in the beginning, will motivate you, spot your weak areas to work on and make sure your form is correct.

9. Get Inspired. Whether it’s listening to music, reading fitness blogs or watching a friend’s workout progress, find something that you can connect to your workout to keep you moving forward.

10. Be Patient. Expect setbacks, but don’t give up. You’ll have plenty of victories, too.