How to stick to your fitness-focused New Year’s resolution

This paid piece is sponsored by Sanford Health.

The new year is a great time to commit to living healthier. Make the last cigarette you had in 2021 your last ever. Cut out your daily Diet Coke.

Or make the most common New Year’s resolution: Exercise more.

If you do, Meghan Glover, lead exercise specialist at the Sanford Wellness Center, says you’ll reap the benefits now and down the road.

Be your healthiest – and best – self

“Staying fit boosts your quality of life,” Glover said. “You could say you’re staying in shape for your physical looks. You’ll stay a smaller size. But it’s so much more than that.”

Working out regularly provides more benefits than weight loss or increased muscle tone.

“You’ll sleep better. You’ll handle stress better. Exercising can also help prevent conditions like diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” Glover said. “It also increases your mobility and range of motion.”

To enjoy these benefits, start a regular workout routine in 2022 – although anytime is a good time to start.

Find what works for you, and stick with it

Go for more walks. Hit the water at your local pool and swim a few laps. Join an exercise class.

Whatever you commit to, stay committed.

“If you’re starting a new exercise routine, it needs to be like an appointment. Treat it like a scheduled visit to your doctor or banker. It’s something that needs to be kept. You can’t shuffle it around or say you’ll do it later,” Glover said.

The No. 1 barrier to working out is time. How can you fit 150 minutes of exercise into an already hectic week?

“Making it a priority always helps,” Glover said. “You can also do a little time management to see where it fits.”

Try cutting down on an unhealthy behavior in favor of exercise. Take an hour you would have spent lounging on the couch, and spend it on the treadmill instead.

If you still can’t find the time, it may be time to talk to an expert.

Getting fit at the Sanford Wellness Center

Personal trainers can create a fitness plan customized to you. At the Sanford Wellness Center, every member can get their own plan.

“Members have access to a trainer through a MAP (Member Access Program) appointment. We take the time to sit down with them and work through their preferences and barriers. We get creative to try and work around those barriers,” Glover said.

With one membership, members have access to three locations: the Sanford Wellness Center – 49th & Oxbow, the Sanford Wellness Center – Tea-Ellis and the Sanford Fieldhouse. That addresses another common barrier to exercise: access.

These locations include cardio and strength training equipment, racquetball and basketball courts, lap pools, a waterslide, warm water pools and over 100 weekly group classes.

Glover credits these classes as a big reason to join.

“We have group fitness classes that offer a variety of workouts at a variety of times. There’s something for everyone,” she said.

And as a family wellness center, the facilities offer affordable on-site child care and kids’ programs, so parents can work out without worry.

Become a member

The Sanford Wellness Center offers month-to-month memberships with no annual contracts or initiation fees.

Complete a membership inquiry or call the Sanford Wellness Center – 49th & Oxbow at 605-328-1600 or the Sanford Wellness Center – Tea-Ellis at 605-323-6900 to learn more.