Fun Ideas To Help You Keep Your New Year's Resolution

Maybe you've never made a New Year's resolution before. Or maybe you make one every year. Either way, you'd probably aware of how difficult it is to keep those resolutions and stick to them.

Perhaps the most common resolution for a healthier lifestyle is to exercise more, but this just might be the hardest to keep. Dr. John Dockins, FACS, with EvergreenHealth Weight Loss and Bariatric Care, suggests getting 30 minutes of continuous exercise each day, which you can break up into smaller segments to make it easier.

He also suggests finding an exercise or activity you enjoy doing. This makes it much easier to stick to your resolution and achieve that healthier lifestyle you want. That's why we've put together a list of activities that can help you get active and develop a routine.

• Ice Skating or Roller Blading: These two activities are similarly great cardiovascular exercises while also working large muscle groups in your legs and core. They are also wonderful activities to do with others, and the low impact on your joints makes rolling or skating a good option for those with knee, ankle or hip pain. Just be sure to wear the proper protective gear!
• Rock Climbing: The easiest way to get into this full-body workout is to seek out indoor rock-climbing walls, which are more common than you might think. Rock climbing is not only enjoyable but works virtually every muscle group while also engaging your balance. You can also book lessons with a professional who can make sure you start your climb on the right foot.
• Skiing or Snowboarding: These extremely common snow sports also make for exciting and impactful exercises. Although snowboarding may not burn as many calories as other exercises, both skiing and snowboarding work multiple muscle groups and engage your balance and coordination in ways that not many exercises do. While these two exercises may be seasonal in most places, they can help break up your typical routine.
• Dancing: Whether you have rhythm or not, dancing is a fun and effective workout no matter what song you put on. Dancing not only burns calories, but it also improves balance and coordination, tones muscles and builds bones. Dancing is also effective in relieving stress, and if you're learning specific dances, it keeps you sharp as you memorize steps and routines.
• Water Aerobics: Just like regular aerobics, which can range from walking to jogging to cycling, water aerobics work large muscle groups, boost your endurance and improve your mental and physical health. What makes water aerobics worth getting into is that it can be done by people of all ages and in groups no matter your fitness level.
• Chair Yoga: A wonderful option for anyone who utilizes a wheelchair or finds regular yoga too difficult without a steadier base for balance, chair yoga helps you improve flexibility, circulation and strength while also reducing stress. Depending on your level, you can find easy video guides online to help get you started, or you could even join a class at a gym or studio near you.

New Year's resolutions put pressure on all of us to make a healthy, positive change, and often we can set goals we're not sure how to accomplish. In addition to finding an activity you enjoy, it's also helpful to leverage a support system, which can include friends, family or a coach, and break your resolutions in shorter-term goals.