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5 Ways to Make Your Fitness Goals STICK This Year

8 Jan

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fit4Less. The opinions and text are all mine.


How can you actually make your fitness goals stick this year?

We resolve the same things every year but how many of us make it past February 1st?

I’ve got some big resolutions this year, and I’m determined that I’ll see them through. I’ve even got my husband keeping me accountable (which he’s enjoying way too much)! But when it comes to fitness goals, there are some specific things I’ve found have worked to keep me motivated and sticking with my resolutions.

These are the principles that had me going to the gym every single morning at 7:00 when I was in university, and are what I’m starting again this year now that I have to wake up early to get my husband to work!

I hope these help you! Let’s go:

This year, make your fitness goals stick all 12 months! Here are 5 ways to keep your New Year's Resolutions and get in shape!

1. Get real about what’s holding you back

If you’re like me, you’ve likely been resolving to get in shape every year since you were fifteen. But have you ever stopped to really ask why you haven’t stuck with it in the past?

For me, it’s simple–I’m tired. Plain and simple. Right now the biggest obstacle I’m dealing with is that I drive my husband to work at 7:30 every morning and I’m exhausted–but that’s my only time to work out. We are working on going to bed earlier so that I can feel rested and less tired so that I actually go to the gym instead of collapsing back into bed!

I know for many young adults or students, price can be a huge issue. Paying $75 a month for a membership you may not use as often as you’d like is incredibly daunting. The result? No gym membership at all, so you don’t do the workouts, or you get a membership and stress about your budget.

If this is a problem for you, I’d seriously suggest checking out Fit4Less. Fit4Less is a Canadian fitness company that has created amazing gyms across Canada–their equipment is great, their facilities are clean, and they’re extremely friendly, as any Canadian company should be!

But to top it all off, they’ve got some of the most competitive rates I’ve ever seen, starting at $4.99 every two weeks for 4Less memberships (with an affordable joining fee). That’s literally just two lattes a month! If price has been an issue for you in the past but you still want to be able to work out at a quality gym, check out Fit4Less!

What has held you back in the past? How can you overcome that obstacle this year?

2. Go on a cash budget for food

A huge issue for getting in shape and staying on track is watching what we eat. When we eat good food, we feel good, and we go to the gym. But unhealthy food is just so dang convenient, isn’t it? It’s so much easier to grab a bag of chips or order in a pizza than it is to cook a good meal.

But convenient food is also often quite expensive. That’s one of the many reasons why getting fit can actually save you a ton of money–you stop eating expensive, unhealthy meals and start cooking from scratch.

Going on a cash budget for food can seriously help curb your spending on junk food if grabbing fast food or ordering in is a real issue for you (speaking from experience here! This is my weak spot). Take out the amount of money you can spend on food at the beginning of the month and that’s it. You suddenly realize that if you want to stick on the budget you’ll be making yourself fried rice for lunch instead of grabbing a burger.

3. Stock up on healthy foods

To follow up with point number 2, keeping healthy foods that you enjoy in your house can help curb those cravings as well. I have a huge problem with motivation around cooking and working out–it’s so tempting to just order something in! But meal prepping on Sundays helps me have healthy options available and already cooked (or at least the hard parts done, like chopping and washing all the veggies and cooking the rice) makes it so much easier. It makes shelling out $30 for us to order in a lot more difficult when I could throw together a Teriyaki rice bowl in about 10 minutes with ingredients I already have in the house.

Explore recipes to find meals and snacks that you truly enjoy that are still healthy, and keep those in the house. It’s OK to eat the same things a lot, just find what works for you and stock up on it!

4. Schedule it in

It’s one thing to say “I’m going to work out more this year” and another to say, “I’m going to work out at 8:00 before work every morning, light cardio on Tuesdays and Thursdays and more intense HIIT and lifting workouts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”

This is one area where gyms with classes can be a huge help. Fit4Less has just launched a really cool virtual fitness program called MOVE123 where you can do workouts on your own time or go to a scheduled class (please note: not all clubs have virtual studios). They’ve got tons of classes to choose from, and for those of you who are like me, having someone tell you what to do can be extremely helpful.

5. Find a gym that works for you

When I was in university, my school had two gyms. One was a dank, dark one in the basement of the health science building, the other was a giant sports complex with floor-to-ceiling windows, approximately 10x the size of the other one.

I absolutely loved the dank, dark one.

See, even though the basement gym wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing, and I much preferred the equipment and the look of the other gym, the people were so down-to-earth. I could go as the little gym rookie that I was and if my form was off, someone would just help me correct it. It wouldn’t be a big deal, I could just ask and they’d show me how to do it.

I’m very self-conscious when I work out, because I’m not the strongest one there, I don’t have the most defined muscles, and I don’t know what I’m doing half the time. But being in a gym environment where working out wasn’t a competition, but people were just happy I was showing up was a huge boost to my confidence.

What kinds of things are you looking for in a gym? Write down a few and bring those questions to the gyms you check out. Head over to your local Fit4Less gym and talk to them about what makes you feel at home in a gym to see if it’s a good fit for you!

What are some New Year’s Resolutions you’ve made for 2018? Let me know in the comments below and let’s cheer each other on!

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COMMENTS: 1 Comment TOPICS: Achieving Goals, Health

7 Reasons to resolve to EXERCISE, not LOSE WEIGHT in 2017

6 Jan

The first time I ever thought about losing weight I was 12 years old.

It was in a swimming class, when I realized that I was always paired with the only boy in the class because I was the strongest girl there, not as waif-like as the others. I’ve always been a strong person, and I’ve never been “skinny” like other girls. I was slender, but more athletic when I was 12-14. Then I discovered the internet and the athletic thing wore off, too. ;)

But since then, for years there was something in my New Year’s Resolutions about losing weight. Get more toned. Lose 5 pounds. Stop eating so much chocolate (yeah I never stood a chance on that one). [Read more…]

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COMMENTS: 2 Comments TOPICS: Achieving Goals, Health

Becoming YOU: Health Edition

15 Apr

It’s week 1 in the Becoming You series and we’re talking starting healthy habits! We’re off to a good start–I was hoping to have this out 8:00 on Thursday, but life happened.

First off, I want to say how blown away I was by the amazing feedback I got on my last post introducing this series! I’m so glad to know that this topic–living life to the fullest–is such a shared passion! It’s made me even more excited to write these posts, so thank you!

This week we’re talking about why starting healthy habits will help kickstart a lifestyle that will enable us to actually use and enjoy our physical bodies instead of just sitting in a desk chair all of the time. I’m not talking about how to get a six-pack or how to lose weight, I want to talk about more long-lasting life changes that I’m trying to implement to ensure that I am treating my body with the respect it deserves. [Read more…]

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COMMENTS: 11 Comments TOPICS: Health

5 Ways to Take Control of your Health as a Student

18 Mar

Taking care of yourself for the first time without your parents to pay the bills can be daunting. But skimping on your medical care is not the answer.

Unfortunately being an adult means you have to actually act like an adult at times. And that means taking control of your medical care.

My dad’s a doctor, so medical care has always been a topic of conversation in my house, and I’ve always understood its importance. It can be easy, though, when you are in your early twenties to just think “Hey, I feel fine, so there’s no real reason for me to spend all this money on medical care when I’m just dandy!” The truth is, though, it’s important to get into good health habits early in your adulthood so that those habits stick with you! Also, even if you feel fine, it’s good to get check ups and be proactive in preventing future issues. So there’s really no downside to being dedicated to keeping up your medical care. And that’s why I’m so excited to partner with Firmoo today to be able to talk to you about self-care in college!

Today I’m going to give you 5 things to invest in to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a college student.   [Read more…]

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COMMENTS: 1 Comment TOPICS: Health

7 Questions Every Psych Major Is Tired of Hearing

12 Feb

Choosing to become a psych major is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 

I mean, apart from marrying my husband or deciding at the age of 13 to finally engage in normal personal hygiene routines. (It was time.) But in any case, I love being a psych major.

In what other major do you get to talk about what makes people do the things they do for hours on end and not be seen as some sort of strange freak? There’s no more “Honey, talking about people’s early childhood experienced with their parents isn’t acceptable conversation at the dinner table.” No, these people get me.

That being said, there are quite a few people who just don’t. And I find that whenever I say I’m a psych major, I inevitably get asked the same questions that always betray the fact that the asker doesn’t actually know much about psychology. [Read more…]

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COMMENTS: 6 Comments TOPICS: College, Humor

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About Rebecca



Rebecca Danielle Lindenbach is a 21-year-old psych student living in Ottawa, Canada. Knitter, wife, guitar player, classic rock enthusiast.

This blog is to document the journey of a chronic worrier trying to living a life of simplicity, keeping her focus on what really matters. Read on for a satirical take on life from one millennial to another. Read more

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We are trying the 1000 hours outside and honestly We are trying the 1000 hours outside and honestly it’s going better than I thought it would. I don’t know if we are going to hit 1000 but we are giving it a good shot!!
Been thinking a lot about this and how it pertains Been thinking a lot about this and how it pertains to the incarnation lately. 

Being called to forgive 70x7 times doesn’t mean you have to let someone hurt you that many times.
The weather outside is frightful. But the sweate The weather outside is frightful. 

But the sweater I knit to procrastinate during college is ~so delightful.~

Everyone knows my mom knits, but it’s actually a family tradition at this point! My goal over the next 5 years is to have as much of my wardrobe be hand-made as possible. 😁
Her face when I get her after a nap will always be Her face when I get her after a nap will always be one of my favourite things.
Listening to Marina sing “Why be a wallflower wh Listening to Marina sing “Why be a wallflower when you could be  a Venus flytrap” and honestly it’s just my whole mood.
It’s my first national daughters day. ❤️ Na It’s my first national daughters day. ❤️

Naming my kids is a sacred thing to me, and Connor and I choose names to be prayers over our kids. 

Vivian Louise, may you grow into a lively and renowned warrior, standing your ground with courage as you fight for all things that bring life and goodness into this world. 

You bring so much joy and vivacity to our little family. We love you so much. Happy daughters day.
COVID, but make it ✨dramatic✨ In all serio COVID, but make it ✨dramatic✨ 
 
 In all seriousness I feel like crap but got an overall mild case. Yay for masking and vaccines. 👏🏼 and the kids are doing fine, too, thank goodness. Connor is feeling crappy but overall it seems to have hit our family with a mild case, but definitely still feeling very crummy.
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