Fitness Goals for 2017

Would it really be a new year if we didn’t discuss fitness goals?! It’s as cliche as it gets, but I figured I’d take this first week to discuss some of my personal goals. Now, I feel like I’m cheating here because technically I revamped my goals back in October. But I never discussed those here! (At least I don’t think I did….)

I’m prefacing this post by saying I’m generally unathletic. I’ve never been “unfit,” but I’m not someone who gets immense joy from working out. I feel satisfied after a good workout, and that’s the best I think it’s ever going to get me.

I grew up trying every sport for at least a little while (swim team, dance, ballet, softball, soccer, track, basketball, golf, you name it). The summer after my freshman year of high school, I did a two week “learn to row” camp and fell in love with rowing. I was barely 5’3″ (probably a solid 5’2″) at the time and maybe weighed 95 pounds soaking wet. For some reason, rowing was the first sport that I felt a real connection with. Because of my size, however, I was rarely boated. So I spent a lot of time training on land. Aka running. We did these “bridge” runs, and after weeks of not being able to complete one without stopping, I miraculously ran TWO of them in a row without stopping. I eventually switched to coxing, but I’ll never forget that euphoric feeling of being able to run for forty minutes without stopping for the first time.

Photos by Carter Fish

Even though I’m not athletic, I am very competitive, especially with myself. Working out is a slippery slope with me, and I have to be super cognizant of how I’m doing mentally. I can go overboard if I’m not careful. There’s a fine line, for me at least, where healthy can turn unhealthy.

That’s always my first fitness priority: keeping things healthy!

Wearing: Sports Bra // Yoga Pants (c/o) // Sneakers // Sunglasses

I got back into yoga this summer, and I think that’s always going to be my most enjoyable way to work out. I like to sign up for hard classes with the most intense instructors so I feel like I’m actually doing something, but sometimes I’ll mix in a restorative class if I’m feeling stressed or sore. I love that yoga focuses on breathing and uses your body weight to build strength and flexibility. I love walking out of class feeling an inch taller. (I also tend to store stress in my shoulders, and yoga always fixes that.)

A few months after I took yoga back up, I ended up switching gyms. I loved the instructors at the first gym, but the times were super inconvenient, and they didn’t offer enough classes The new gym has plenty of classes throughout the day, including the weekends. But the best part of the gym is that they offer classes beyond yoga.

When I first joined, I “shopped” around to find different ones that I might also like. I ended up signing up for an intro to weightlifting class and loved it. It’s a small group of women, and it meets three times a week with a great trainer. It feels like personal training, but it’s part of the monthly membership fee. I try to make all three classes; Monday’s legs, Wednesday’s upper body, and Friday’s full body. The hour goes by so fast because we all chit-chat, but man it’s the hardest workout!!! I’m sore literally all day every day.

My goal for this year is to make it to (at least) three classes a week total. It can be a mix, but I want to have three scheduled on my calendar. I know it’s not that “inspirational,” but it’s something that I know is doable for me and will make sure I’m staying on top of my fitness life! More would be ideal, but three will hold me accountable. So that’s it!

Did you set fitness goals for the year too?