Winter fitness is a challenge for most

Sparta - Fitness. Exercise. Words that can be filled with frustration, and regret. Or, with exhilaration, liberation, and challenge. Forget the New Year’s resolution to exercise. A true commitment to become fit doesn’t have to begin with the start of a new year. Making a personal commitment to fitness and making it a lifestyle can start any day of the year. The hard part for many is maintaining the level of dedication, especially in the winter months. These are the months we get to put on comfy clothes, drink hot chocolate on the couch and not feel compelled to notice the cellulite. Diets tend to lean toward heavier meals, comfort foods, motivation to exercise wanes as the temperatures dip into the 20s for days at a time. But spring and summer will be here before you know it and then the panic (and regret) may begin to rear it’s ugly head as you pull out the shorts, tank tops…or worse yet, a bathing suit! Getting started can sometimes be the hardest part because muscles are tight and sometimes ache. Endurance may be low, so it makes breathing difficult and finding the TIME is always an issue, especially when first starting. “I began taking kickboxing and cardio karate fitness/fusion classes at Martial Inspiration Centers on Route 15 South in Jefferson this past summer. A group of adventurous friends were my motivation in starting. They wanted to give it a go after hearing raves from another gal who had already been taking classes for a month. We made the decision to start the very next evening. Since then, it has been a regular part of my week (about four times per week),” said Ellie Wolfson of Sparta. How can we maintain or begin to increase our motivation during the winter months? “The winter months are tough and I tend to slack off but I try to stay motivated by getting a personal trainer when I catch myself falling into a slump. I don’t really have any incentives after my workout, I just feel so much better about myself. I guess that’s all the incentive I need,” said Mary Potter of Sparta. Personal trainer, Jennifer Dudziec of Fit Ex in Sparta, recommends changing the focus from calorie burning to the joy one gains from doing something they love. “Find an activity you enjoy. Maybe it’s ice skating, gardening, basketball, skiing, walk with friends. If you’re enjoying what you’re doing, it helps maintain your motivation,” said Dudziec. Some other motivating points she added are: Aim for a realistic total of two to three hours a week of workouts instead of assuming you have to hit the gym for two hours a day to make a difference. Write down reasons why you want to achieve your goal. Remembering why you’re doing what you’re doing makes it easier to stay on track. Establish new patterns. Use different dinner plates and have a plan of action for weak moments (like pouring salt on your dessert after having two bites). Keep a summer picture of you in your bathing suit on your refrigerator. Always take the stairs instead of the escalator. Think not so much about the exterior benefits of exercising, but the interior benefits. Visualize your heart, lungs, cardiovascular system working to add years to your life. Beat the obesity trend. Sixty-six percent of American women are now overweight. Plan a great summer vacation where you’re excited to wear a bathing suit. Thinking of the vacation will boost your spirits and encourage you to stick to your exercise regime. Don’t be afraid of the cold! Get outside and play with your kids, make some memories: sledding, tubing, skiing or making a snowman with them. Or try a new winter sport with an adventurous friend and have some fun! Get a personal trainer to help motivate you and help you reach your goals. They can make sure your form is right and you are making the most of the time you are investing. Personal trainers can help avoid injuries, provide nutrition menus and design workouts geared specifically for you that you can do on your own all week. Not all motivators work for everyone. What works for one, may not work for someone else, but the key is to find one. “I find the developing challenges and progression of the kick boxing classes, the encouragement from welcoming instructors and my fellow participants as my prime motivators. It has always been fun....the physical benefits are really the icing on the cake. I feel great after each class. The laughs alone are worth it. It’s an awesome way to start or end any day,” said Wolfson. Or just being fit can be what keeps one going. “I love the power walks; they exhilirate me. I love yoga even more because of the combination of strength building and stretching followed by relaxation. I always look forward to those two forms of exercise. How I feel afterward is a good motivator, but my real motivation is fighting off middle age and the scale. I want to be healthy and fit,” said Jackie Somma of Sparta. For Lisa Morris of Sparta, it’s the love of spin class and playing tennis. “Exercising for me has become an integral part of my life. I love to eat and drink, therefore I exercise. Variety is the key to keep you going. I don’t believe in dieting, but I do believe that moderation in all aspects of your life is a good philosophy,” said Morris. For Frelinghysen resident, Kim Leno, it’s pilates, yoga and walking. “Plus, I always have my summer wardrobe (including a bathing suit) in my closet so I can try them on,” said Leno. Most people who have committed themselves to fitness, find without their routine, they don’t feel right. Although it may take time to develop this kind of steadfast dedication, this in itself can be the best motivator of all. “I think what keeps me going is that I’ve been doing it for so many years, that it’s just part of my routine and without it, I don’t feel right… even cranky. I like to spin, jog, take toning classes and anything different that comes along to change it up. It gets old at times, but I just think about all I can continue to eat and drink,” said Debbie Mornhineway of Sparta. Motivation comes from within. It can be very personal or it can be found from the support of others; traine rs, friends, family. Let others share in what you have found, it may become contagious!