Ahead, learn what walking meditation is, its benefits, and how you can get started on your own mindful journey.

RELATED: What You Need to Know About Walking For Fitness 

What is Walking Meditation?

Just like it sounds, walking meditation is a moving and mobile form of meditation that offers an alternative to mindfulness for those who feel like they can’t meditate in the traditional sense. Unlike seated meditation, which requires stillness and silence, walking meditation harnesses movement of the body as a means to cultivate mindfulness. It can be practiced virtually anywhere, such as in a park, at the beach, in a neighborhood, or really, any setting that brings you peace and comfort!

And while there’s no ‘right way’ to perform a walking meditation, the key is to remain fully mindful with each step. This could include directing your attention to the rhythm of your breath, noticing the sensations in your body, being mindful of your surroundings, connecting with nature, and overall, simply being fully present in the act of walking.

The best part? By engaging your senses and immersing yourself in the natural environment, not only can you cultivate inner stillness, but you can also deepen your connection with the outside world and embrace the present moment.

The Benefits of Walking Meditation

Supported by research for its many positive effects on mental, emotional, and physical well-being, here are some of the science-backed benefits of walking meditation:

#1 Reduced Stress 

Just like traditional meditation, walking meditation has been shown to decrease cortisol levels and promote a sense of calm and relaxation. Plus, the integration of breath and movement creates a harmonious synergy that helps soothe the mind and promote a sense of inner calm. According to research, this has been shown to soothe anxious thoughts and improve overall mental well-being!

#2 Improved Sleep

Want a better night’s sleep? Walking meditation may help. Walking meditation can help reduce stress levels, which can help support better sleep, and walking, in general, has also been shown to benefit sleep quality. When you combine the two, research shows it may help improve sleep.

#3 Enhanced Mood and Emotional Well-Being

When it comes to mental and emotional well-being, walking meditation has been found to boost mood and increase positive emotions thanks to the endorphins released during movement.

Plus, it helps facilitate a deeper connection between the mind and body. By simply tuning into your body and focusing on the sensations of walking, research shows enhanced mind-body connection with things such as increased self-awareness and body appreciation.

RELATED: Combining Mindfulness With Exercise: What You Need to Know

#4 Increased Cardiovascular Health

Speaking of movement, as a form of physical activity, walking meditation offers the benefits of exercise, including improved cardiovascular health. This gentle aerobic exercise helps to strengthen your heart and improve its efficiency over time, where it’s been shown to boost circulation, lower inflammation, and reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol.

#5 Improved Sleep & Energy

Engaging in walking meditation, especially when performed in nature, has been shown to positively impact sleep. The combination of movement, mindfulness, and exposure to nature (with things such as fresh air and sunshine) creates a calming effect on the nervous system, helping to promote relaxation, and contribute to a more restful sleep. As a result, it helps improve energy! 

Getting Started With Walking Meditation 

Best of all, getting started with walking meditation is simple.

Step #1 Find a Location: To start, pick a location. Ideally, you’ll want to look for a calming environment where you can walk without distractions. This could be a nearby park, a nature trail, or even a walking path in your neighborhood.

Step #2 Get Comfortable: Make sure you have comfortable walking shoes and walking gear! And if you’re heading for a walk in nature, don’t forget your SPF.

Step #3 Set Your Intention: Before you get started, tune into your body and take a moment to set your intention for the practice. Maybe you take a few deep breaths to cultivate calmness, increase mindfulness with a quick body scan, or simply find a moment of stillness.

Step #4 Begin Walking Mindfully: Start your walking meditation at a slow, comfortable pace. With every step, focus your attention on the physical sensations of walking — this could be the movement of your feet, the shifting of your weight, the engagement of your muscles, the swinging of your arms, or the contact with the ground. Stay present with each step, letting go of any thoughts or distractions that arise.

Step #5 Engage Your Senses: As you walk, fully engage all your senses. Notice the sounds around you (such as the wind blowing or birds chirping), the feeling of the breeze or sunshine on your skin, the sights of nature and your surroundings (noticing things like flowers, clouds, trees, and shadows) and the scents, such as fresh cut grass or the smell of fragrant flowers. Check in with your breath, and immerse yourself in the present moment.

Step #6 Maintain Mindfulness & Awareness: Continue to check in with your mind and body. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your attention back to the act of walking. And remember to be patient with yourself — embrace any thoughts or emotions that arise without judgment.

Step #7 Complete Your Walk: As your walk comes to a close, take a few minutes to check in with your body. Notice how you’re feeling now vs. when you started your walking meditation! Reflect on any changes in your mind or body, and take a moment to express gratitude and acknowledge the benefits this practice has brought you.

Integrate Mindfulness & Movement Into Your Daily Life

If you’ve ever felt that traditional meditation is not for you, walking meditation may be the perfect alternative. Acknowledging the discomfort that can arise from sitting still, this easy-to-implement and accessible practice harnesses the power of movement to cultivate a sense of calm and clarity.

Like any practice, consistency is key to reaping the full benefits of walking meditation. Set aside dedicated time each day or week until it becomes part of your routine! 

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Sounds great in theory, but many people don’t quite understand what mindfulness even is. If you’re one of the majority, here’s a little rundown. Mindfulness is the state of being conscious or aware of something. In other words, you’re being fully present in the moment on what you’re doing. So what does it mean to combine mindfulness with exercise, and how does a less strenuous workout create better results? Let me break it down. 

What Is A Mindful Based Workout?

Mindful workouts aren’t just an excuse for lower intensity workouts. Yes, mindful movements may require you to slow down, but not for lack of effort! In fact, this holistic approach to exercise may utilize even more effort by exercising both the mental and physical body. Slowing down and becoming intentional with your workouts allows you to gain better body awareness and really hone in on the signals your body sends you – this can increase your mind-muscle connection and even build strength without getting injured.

Like any form of exercise, it’s important to find the type of mindful workouts that fit into your goals, lifestyle, and preferences. These are some of our favorites to start with:

Low-Intensity Interval Training 

If you’ve heard of HIIT or High-Intensity Interval Training, then you can probably deduct what Low-Intensity Interval Training, or LIIT, is. Much like its high-impact counterpart, Low-Intensity Interval Training workouts build off the principle of intervals or going all out for a short burst of time, followed by a short rest and recovery period. However, LIIT workouts are usually composed of more low-impact exercises to give you more opportunities to become present and connect your mind with your body. 

Body Scanning 

You may not think of body scanning as a workout, but it is one of the secrets to optimizing your other sweat sessions. Body scanning is a form of meditation that helps bring awareness to each part of your body. It’s your opportunity to see where you may be holding additional tension that could disrupt your workouts and recovery. The goal is to bring enough awareness during your body scans so that you can activate the correct muscles during your workouts, increasing the effectiveness of your workouts and decreasing the chance of injury. 

Dynamic Stretching

Much like your middle school P.E. warm-ups (but with less distraction), dynamic stretching includes light exercises that take your body through its full range of movement. It’s a great way to warm up and fit in some mindful exercise. The key is to get curious about how your body moves in space, what your limitations are, and where imbalances may be. For example, if you’re doing leg swings, you may notice your left hamstring is tighter than your right. This is your opportunity to breathe into the exercise, bring awareness to the tightness, and focus on relaxing. 

Recovery Classes

Whether it’s a gentle yoga class or guided meditation, recovery classes can help you progress in your mindful workouts. As you’re learning how to be present and aware of your body, it’s normal to feel uncomfortable at first. If your mind wanders, that’s ok! Having an instructor can help guide your mind back to the present moment and give you techniques to become more centered in your mindfulness workouts. And know, these feelings could show up even after years of practicing mindfulness with exercise. The beauty is understanding there’s no perfect way to approach this mind-body exercise. So, get comfortable with being uncomfortable!

Benefits of Mindfulness During Exercise

Becoming present and focused on your workouts may not sound as fun as blasting your favorite playlist. Rest assured, we’re not telling you to stop doing this (in fact, bumping your playlist comes with some added benefits too). 

However, including a few mindful workouts in your weekly routine can help you start seeing some major benefits!

Mental Health Benefits

Becoming more present in your body can help you create more feelings of peace and gratitude in your day-to-day life. It’s easy to get caught up in the business of our schedules and the excitement of achieving. However, when we bring ourselves back to the present moment and give thanks for what we already have (and what’s coming), it helps us cultivate greater peace of mind. And greater peace of mind creates a better chance of prioritizing your health and fitting in your workouts. 

Increased Commitment 

Mindfulness with workouts helps you become more reliable. By bringing awareness to your body, you’ll also start to cultivate better self-awareness. When you start to understand what throws you off your fitness goals, you can more easily navigate those moments and stay on track. 

Better Physical Health 

High-intensity workouts are effective, but getting injured because you aren’t aware of your form will only put you behind in your fitness goals. Mindful fitness helps you become more aware of your form in specific exercises to avoid getting hurt.

Plus, becoming more present helps reduce stress (something we could all benefit from!), and the benefits speak for themself. Lower stress levels are correlated with lower blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat, and increase immunity, strength, and cardiovascular health. 

Better Exercise Satisfaction

Have you ever eaten a piece of delicious chocolate cake while you were chatting at a party, only to realize you barely tasted it? This is because you weren’t being mindful of eating it (a sin, if you ask us chocolate lovers!). The same rings true for your workouts. When you aren’t present, you don’t savor the satisfaction of feeling your muscles ignite, sweat dripping down your back, or catching your breath after a hard circuit. The takeaway? Acknowledge all your hard work!

Tips on Practicing Mindful Fitness

If this is your first time practicing mindful exercise, it may feel uncomfortable at first (like any new skill!). But with the right tools, you can overcome the challenges of building mindfulness exercise practices and start benefiting from them quicker.  

Set a Goal for Each Workout

Setting a goal helps you become more intentional in your workout. What exactly do you want to feel after your mindfulness exercise? More at peace? Present? Relaxed? Focused? 

Setting an intention is like a GPS for your mind — it helps you remember what you want to experience when you start to feel distracted. 

Know The Reason You Are Working Out 

Much like setting a goal, it’s important to always remember your “why.” This is the big picture equivalent to an intention. Where do you hope to be in 6 weeks, 6 months, or 6 years? Maybe you want to be able to keep up with your kids, run a marathon, or just feel less stressed. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something meaningful enough to you to get you exercising on a regular basis. 

Ride the Wave Of All Emotions

As you begin to create space for your mind to become present, you may experience some uncomfortable emotions like boredom, physical discomfort, restlessness, or maybe even grief or anger over something you haven’t processed yet. The important thing to do in these emotions is to accept them. Resisting them will only perpetuate the discomfort. Lean into it and let the energy pass through you by fully feeling whatever it is that comes up. 

Listen to Your Body 

Some days you’ll feel ready to hit the ground running and others you may need to give your body some additional TLC to feel ready for a workout. As you become more mindful, you’ll be able to tell the difference between physical and mental needs. You may not feel like working out that day in your mind, but realize your body is restless and needs movement. Listen to it. 

Keep Reminding Yourself to Breathe 

No matter what may come up for you, the most important part of creating more mindfulness is to focus on your breath. This will help you come back to the present moment. Start to become more aware of the quality of your breath — is it deep or short, fast or slow? Find the pace and depth that helps you connect to your body and bring stillness to your workout. 

Ensure You Finish Strong

Regardless of what happens during your mindfulness workout, it’s important to bring it to completion. This will help set the stage for your day and even your next workout. When things go array during your mindful exercise, bring yourself back to your goals, “why”, and breathe at the very end. Thank your body for allowing you to move and thank yourself for taking the time to work out. 

Getting Started With Mindfulness Exercise

Mindful exercise doesn’t have to be practiced alone. In fact, it can be an effective tool for priming your body and mind for your next butt-kicking workout. One of our favorite ways to incorporate mindful fitness is to begin our workouts with meditation. This will help you bring awareness to your thoughts, posture, tension, intention, and breath before you sweat. And that combination, my fitness friend, is one that will make your workouts much more satisfying and effective! 

If you haven’t joined our community yet, sign up for free and get started on your fitness journey! 

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What does that mean for you? Movement might truly be medicine. To figure out the right dose and what you can expect, here’s a quick overview of what might improve happiness, mood balance, and mental health.

Types of Exercise for Mental Health

Which workout should you choose to get out of a rut (or stay mentally resilient)? Some suggestions ahead…

Running (and walking!)

You’ve heard about runner’s high — and it’s no lie. But, what you might not realize is that your rush is not primarily endorphins, it’s endocannabinoids. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the same feel-good receptor system targeted by CBD products, only running is much more of a sure thing to give you the mental boost, as well as decrease feelings of anxiety and stress. 

It’s probably the reason why many different studies on running suggest it can help battle depression and other mental health challenges we all face as human beings. 

But what about just starting with walking? Running can be intimidating for beginners — heck, it can be intimidating for people who’ve been exercising for decades! So start with walks. When you’re feeling down, this might feel a little more manageable than gearing up for a run. Some research even suggests that low-impact exercise could be even better for your mental health. According to Harvard Medical School, “for most of us, the real value is in low-intensity exercise sustained over time. That kind of activity spurs the release of proteins called neurotrophic or growth factors, which cause nerve cells to grow and make new connections.” 

The takeaway? If you aren’t a fan of running, walking comes with benefits too. 

Don’t have time to get outside for a walk or a run or need a quick walking workout to squeeze in between work meetings? Try this Walking Fitness class with FitOn trainer Bree Koegel.

Yoga

You didn’t think we were gonna skip over yoga, did you? Yoga has been shown to have positive effects on the brain and overall mental health. 

Medical experts are fascinated by how much yoga can help with stress management, mental resilience, and overall wellbeing. 

Get started by browsing the FitOn yoga category to find a class that speaks to you and what type of yoga flow you’re searching for today. 

Running and Yoga/Meditation

So the combination of runner’s high and mindfulness bliss might just be the ultimate mental-health-hygiene routine. A study published in Nature showed that combining meditation and running helped reduce ruminative thoughts and depressive symptoms. The mindfulness you experience in yoga can be similar to meditation, too — so give that a shot! Schedule some yoga classes, some meditation sessions, and some walks or runs!

Browse the FitOn meditation category and schedule in some weekly meditations to complement your current fitness routine. 

Hiking

Similar to the effects of running and walking — but with the added benefit of being outside. Sunshine plus fresh air and movement is truly the ultimate cocktail for well-being. In fact, just 20 minutes outside can lift your mood. 

Research shows that natural environments were associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy, and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger, and depression.

All of that can be achieved in just 1-hour per week or about 10 minutes per day.

Dance

There are so many studies showing that moving your body in a carefree, whimsical, fun way (ie, dancing!) can improve your mood and brain health. Learn some sweet dance moves and break a sweat with FitOn dance classes.

Cardio Is Key

While all forms of exercise are good for your health, there’s another (broad) category that directly applies to this endeavor: aerobic exercise, otherwise known as “cardio.” Most of the studies cite aerobic exercise (high AND low intensity!) as the key to a mood boost and mental health, so keep that in mind when you book yourself a HIIT session.

Make it Work For You 

One study showed that when it comes to exercise and mental health, frequency — how consistently you’re exercising — matters more than the rest (meaning, you could walk for 30 minutes or do an hour-long high-intensity exercise bootcamp, and it’s all impacting your mental health about the same).

All of these types of exercise to support mental wellness don’t take much time, don’t have to be intense, and can truly be as simple as a walk. 

Take Care of Yourself!

Ups and downs are inevitable, and mental health struggles come and go — it’s part of life. The key is not waiting for a good day. The good days will come if you move. So, if we can start by moving together, we can feel better, be empowered, and have more better days ahead. 

If you haven’t joined our community yet, sign up for free and get access to unlimited free workouts and meditations that make it easier and way more fun to find time for fitness and self-care. 

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While it’s natural for us moms to put our kiddos needs before ours, it’s essential to remember that we are important too! Prioritizing self-care is only going to help you show up even more for your kids, and be a better version of you. 

But, if you are wondering how in the world you are going to fit any sort of self-care into your already jam-packed mom schedule, we hear you. We get just how busy being a mom is, and how most days you just wish there were a few extra hours to do what you need to get done. But, we’re letting you in on some of the top secrets of busy mommas and how even the busiest women maximize self-care. 

We promise self-care doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can maximize self-care while also doing what you need to do for the kids. 

Ready to take better care of you, momma? Here’s how you can take care of you even amongst the chaos of the busy days. 

Four Ways Mommas Can Maximize Self-Care Even on the Most Chaotic Days

#1 Find Your Inner Kid

If you are a momma to young little ones and feel like you have lost your inner kid with everything you have on your to-do list each day,  you are not alone! It’s easy to forget to just let loose and have fun, but allowing ourselves to just be a kid with our kids is a great way to reduce stress. 

Turn on some music, get your kids involved, and have a dance party. Not only will this help release some feel-good endorphins, but your kids will love it too. It’s a win, win, and a great way to lower those stress levels when you feel the tension of your busy day rising. 

#2 Find Your Calm During Nap Time

I think most moms can relate that we could all use a nap in the middle of the day, right? Maximize your self-care by finding your calm during the little ones nap times. Whether you grab a quick snooze yourself, or pour yourself a cup of tea and just breathe, just find your zen for that precious nap time.

#3 Have a Power Hour (or half-hour) Before the House Wakes up 

Another ideal way to really prioritize self-care and make sure that you are taking care of both your mind and your body is to have a dedicated power hour in the morning. Hey, even if it’s just 30 minutes, getting up before everyone else in the house to do a quick HIIT FitOn workout, grab a shower, and have a cup of coffee is pure bliss. 

You would be shocked at how much more centered you feel throughout the rest of your day with getting just a little bit of time to yourself in the morning. 

#4 Just Breathe Momma

When your kids are having a fit, or you look at your to-do list and suddenly feel totally overwhelmed and anxious, stop and take a breath. Deep breathing is such a valuable self-care tool that most of us forget we can use anywhere and at any time. 

Kids acting up while you’re sitting in traffic? Just breathe! Schedule not going according to plan, and you’re feeling frazzled? Breathe! Deeping breathing is such a wonderful form of self-care and one that doesn’t cost you a thing. 

Max Out on Your Daily Mom Self-Care  

Listen up, momma. Make self-care a priority. We are giving you that nudge all mommas need letting you know that self-care is not selfish. Self-care is actually essential, and we are all about maximizing any amount of self-care you can fit into your day. So, ready to make self-care a priority? We are totally here backing you up!

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The problem is that many of us live crazy lives with very little wiggle room in our schedules. Life can get so busy that it’s easy to push back hair appointments and skip the gym. And dare we say find time in our schedule for that nail appointment that gets rescheduled month after month. And, while the spa sounds perfect, and a weekend getaway would be absolute heaven, making space to schedule those in is usually a no can do.

Anybody else find themselves in this exact situation time and time again? So, maybe we need to step back and reevaluate our approach to self-care. Days, or even hours, of me-time may not be realistic for you right now, and that’s okay. Self-care can be as simple as 10 minutes a day of prioritizing your needs above anyone else’s.

In fact, that sort of regular, daily self-care practice will reap long-term perks. You’ll have something to look forward to on a day-to-day basis, and it will help you reframe your mindset around prioritization and time management. Here are a few ideas for out-of-the-box self-care regimens that you can start playing with today.

4 Daily-Self Care Practices we all need to be doing

#1 Start the Day With Gratitude

Studies have shown that the more intentionally thankful we are for the little things in life, the more natural it is to maintain a positive and upbeat disposition. Set your alarm five minutes earlier than normal, stow a notebook beside your bed, and list out three to five things you’re grateful for every morning. They can be simple and insignificant or more elaborate–just write whatever is making you happy lately. And, if getting up early really isn’t your jam, give yourself some grace if you miss your alarm. You can always squeeze in your journaling as you sit down to drink your morning cup of joe.

#2 Test a New Recipe

Do you find yourself in a diet rut? It’s easy to get stuck in a rut where we make the same few iterations of dishes every week. That’s because we know them and they’re easy. Turn on a little jazz, and try a new recipe from a food blogger you follow. Or attempt a never-been-cracked recipe from that cookbook a dear friend gifted you. Cooking can be a fun de-stressor and major creative outlet. Bonus points if you share the meal with friends or loved ones! And, if you have kiddos at home, get them involved! It can be a super fun way to unwind with the fam before you all sit down to enjoy the delicious meal you just whipped up together.

#3 Break it Down

Don’t let the stressful and sometimes mundane day to day tasks us adults have on our plates get in the way of some of that playful nature we all know is inside of each and every one of us. Ok, so sure, we may have to dig deep to find it, but blasting some of your favorite tunes is a great way to de-stress. Plus, when’s the last time you turned up a little Taylor Swift and boogied on down with your bad self? Trust us–letting go and jamming out feels GOOD for the soul. You don’t have to be a “good dancer.” You just need to have fun.

#4 Try out Something New

It’s easy to get caught up in the monotony of our daily routine. Sleep, work, dinner, and repeat. This week, commit to enrolling in a class, picking up painting, trying a new workout, committing to reading for 10 minutes a day–do something (anything!) to shake up your norm and get outside your comfort zone. You’ll probably learn something, form new relationships, and become reinvigorated with life. And that’s the goal, isn’t it?

The Takeaway

If you want to put health front and center in your self-care routine, we have you covered! Download FitOn. FitOn app provides personalized workout programs from celeb trainers and lets you interact with friends right on the platform, directly from your phone. You’ll be able to experience fitness on your time, which is key for a sustainable self-care practice! Download FitOn today!

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With so many options out there these days, let’s discuss eight exercises that will help you relieve some of that everyday stress in your life.

8 Exercise to Combat Stress

#1 Walking

Let’s start with something most of us can do: walk. The act of getting out and walking is a stress-free endeavor because it conforms to your schedule. Take a walk in the morning before work; walk on your lunch break; take a walk when you get home in the evening.

Better yet, invite a friend to walk with you or bring your headset and check in with a loved one. This allows you to fire up those endorphins without feeling like you’re working hard.

If you’re practicing the art of mindfulness, leave all the distractions behind and walk in the present moment. Notice the world around you. Listen to the sights and sounds of nature.

Walking can also be a meditative experience. Choose a mantra for the day and hone in on it as you walk and soak in the fresh air. Anytime your mind wants to wander, circle back to your mantra. By the time you return home, you’ll feel rejuvenated, with a healthy outlook on the day.

#2 Swimming

Swimming is another great stress-reliever. First, it’s easy on the joints. You’re not pounding the pavement as we might when we’re running. Second, it combines the soothing effects of water.

If you’ve ever enjoyed a spa day, you might’ve noticed the music incorporated elements of water. Everyone loves the sound of the ocean or the gurgling of a stream. This is why swimming is not only a heart-healthy exercise but also a stress-relieving exercise.

#3 Yoga

Let’s return to thoughts of a meditative state and consider yoga. Yoga incorporates a lot of meditation and mindfulness into its practice. That alone makes it a great stress-reliever.

But, while you’re perfecting the art, you’re stretching muscles, releasing endorphins, reducing aches and pains, and re-centering your mind. Yoga has been around for centuries because it’s one of the few practices in life that supports the mind, the body, and the spirit.

#4 Tai Chi

Tai chi is a friend to both yoga and the martial arts. You’ll practice flowing body movements and smooth breathing techniques. The movements are rooted in the martial arts, but the aim is to calm the mind and condition the body.

Like other forms of exercise, this will not only bring you mental clarity, but it will also produce several physical benefits, including a boosted immune system and lower blood pressure (when practiced regularly).

#5 Kickboxing

If you’re looking for something that packs a bigger punch, consider kickboxing. It incorporates controlled punching and kicking movements. The workouts tend to be quite rigorous, providing cardiovascular benefits along with stress-relieving benefits.

As a result, you’ll also achieve better balance, flexibility, and innate coordination. After a really stressful day, punching and kicking (in a controlled environment) often proves to be just the ticket.

#6 Cycling

Have you ever tried a spin class? Holy heart rate. These classes really get the whole body pumping.

Most people burn upwards of six and seven hundred calories. Fans of the class are known to need to towel their entire bodies off at the end of a session.

Given its intensity, the floodgates of endorphins are going to open. During the workout, you may wonder why in the world you thought this was a good idea. But, by the time you enter the cool down phase, you’ll be signing yourself up for the next class.

#7 Pilates

Pilates is the cousin to yoga. It, too, focuses on breathing and stretching. One of the major targets of pilates is your core. The movements require a lot of precision and control.

Given the nature of these moves, you’re going to come out with a more sculpted body. The creator of Pilates, Joseph Pilates, believed physical and mental health go hand in hand. As such, you’re going to leave the yoga mat after a Pilates session feeling rejuvenated and whole.

#8 Barre

Barre is a wonderful, stress-relieving activity because it’s rooted in dance. It combines elements from ballet, yoga, and Pilates. The focus is on low-impact, high-intensity movements. Like Pilates, Barre classes will help you tone your body with regular practice.

Best of all, Barre classes are for everyone. You don’t need a background in dance. Also, it’s going to work nearly every muscle in your body.

This is a stress-reliever in the moment and a gratifier in the long run. When you look in the mirror and see your arms are totally cut, you’re going to feel tremendous pride.

Exercise Every day: Anywhere, Anytime

If you exercise every day, you’re going to experience a wonderful transformation. Something as simple as a 30-minute walk with your neighbor offers tremendous healing power.

When you’re ready to take things up a notch with regular yoga and barre classes, come on over and join the FitOn nation. You’ll join a community that enjoys personalized programs from celebrity trainers–anywhere, anytime.

Once you download the app, you’ll have access to premium video content, from yoga to Pilates, to Barre classes, and more.

The Takeaway

There’s no denying it, exercise is essential for overall health and can help improve both mental and physical well-being. If you’re ready to get healthy, lean, toned and happy, then start by making that very important commitment to yourself. Don’t just lose weight. Gain control of your life: mind, body, and spirit. Get started by downloading the FitOn app today!

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The Winter Exerciser

Most people fall into this category. After that long break from exercise between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, those resolutions begin, and everyone is back to the grind as of January 1^st. And why not? It’s a new year, and you want to start on the right foot. Everything seems to fall into place this time of year. And yet, this newly found motivation seems to wane by mid-February if not sooner.

Solution: Remember why you started. Don’t quit for at least the month of January. Studies have shown that it takes a good three weeks for something to become a habit. Sure, it’s going to be difficult, and you’ll feel like quitting, but always remember why you wanted to start in the first place whether it’s to lose weight, live a healthier life, being able to keep up with your kids, etc. Find a workout buddy so you’ll have each other for support. It’s nice to have an accountability partner and someone who can give you that push to keep going when you need it.

The Spring Exerciser

Spring exercisers usually have one goal and one goal only—lose weight and get into shape as fast as possible in time for summer—better known as swimsuit season. They usually start sometime after Easter and go until Memorial Day weekend or a little longer. Often, these exercisers are looking for that quick fix. They’ll be at the gym several days a week, almost killing themselves on the cardio machines, sometimes more than once a day, and doing as much as they can to lose the weight.

Solution: Slow down and start earlier. If you truly want to lose weight for the summer, starting in April is not enough time to do it right. You may end up hurting yourself trying to do too much in such a short amount of time. Follow a workout routine that includes both cardiovascular and strength training exercises. When you do work out, make it count. Stick to the plan, stay focused and be patient!

The Summer Exerciser

So, maybe you reached your summer fitness goal, but now you want to keep it up throughout the summer season. Many people will continue their spring fitness routine throughout the summer which then may start to taper off come Labor Day.

Solution: Instead of overstretching yourself when it comes to your fitness routine, stick to a very doable routine that you can carry on with throughout the summer and well into the fall and winter. The goal is to exercise throughout the year, not just for swimsuit season! A great way to keep up with a realistic fitness routine is to be very real about how much time you can commit to fitness each day. FitOn offers very doable 20-30 minute workouts taught by world-class celebrity trainers that you can do right from home, so you don’t have to worry about gym time taking away from beach time during the summer.

The Autumn Exerciser

Summer is over, vacations have come to an end, and the kids are going back to school. With all the summer fun, maybe there wasn’t any time to dedicate to your workout routine, so you didn’t bother. Now it’s after Labor Day, and time to get back on track. But getting back into the swing of things is difficult after taking a few months off. In many cases, it’s like starting from scratch.

Solution: Don’t take the entire summer off from exercise. Even if you can’t commit to the same routine you had before summer began, make a point to exercise at least three days a week. On vacation and don’t have access to a gym? There are plenty of workouts you can do that require no equipment. FitOn can help by offering many no-equipment workouts that you can do while you’re away. Even if you’re home but can’t get to the gym like usual, squeeze in some bodyweight exercises, do a quick yoga routine, go for a long walk, bike, swim, play tennis. There are so many great ways to stay active in the summer that you can’t do in the colder months.

The Bottom Line

Just because the seasons change, doesn’t mean you have to change your exercise routine. It’s always better to just keep going throughout the year. After all, consistency is always going to win over sporadic exercising. But if you find yourself falling into one, or more, of these seasonal habits, use the suggested solutions, so you’re no longer struggling throughout the year.

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Here’s Why a Workout Partner May Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals

A training partner offers several benefits that can help you reach your fitness goals, like:

• Having someone to hold you accountable so you don’t miss or skip a workout. You certainly don’t want to stand up someone who is also relying on you to keep him or her motivated to workout. If they show up, you show up as well—it’s as simple as that!

• Pushing you to go out of your comfort zone. If you haven’t been working hard enough, you’re probably not getting the results you want. Now you have someone who can be both a cheerleader and a coach to encourage you to work harder so you really give it your all.

• Stopping you from quitting altogether. Good buddies won’t let you quit especially if they need you to prevent them from quitting as well. The last thing you want to do is let your friend down and quit.

• Making sure you are doing the work. It’s one thing to show up to exercise, it’s another thing to actually do it. A good buddy will prevent you from sitting around and wasting time by making sure that you are working and doing what you are supposed to do.

• Giving you feedback on your progress. The truth can hurt, but sometimes it’s what you need in order to be realistic about what progress you have or have not made. You can both work on making some adjustments to your routine or trying something new altogether.

Finding the Right Buddy

Be sure to find someone who has similar goals as you. Whatever it is, having the same fitness goals is a great way to stay on track and work together as a team. Face it, if you want to focus on getting stronger and your partner wants to train for a marathon, what are the chances you’re both going to be training together? Different goals would require different workouts and a greater chance that you won’t be doing much together which would defeat the purpose of having a workout partner in the first place.  

Another thing you want to consider is your partner’s attitude. If he or she has a negative attitude or opinion about exercising and is already making excuses or coming up with reasons not to workout, you may want to consider finding someone new. You want a buddy who will lift you up, not bring you down. The purpose of having a training partner is to motivate you.

On the flip side, you don’t want to be the Debbie Downer of this relationship either. Someone is relying on you to help them lead a healthy lifestyle, reach a goal or just try something different. Be that support system he or she needs and keep your negativity in check. This relationship is a two-way street, and you will only get out of it what you put into it so load it up with as much positive energy as you can.

The Bottom Line

FitOn is perfect for you and your workout partner because you can do the workouts together whether you’re at the gym or at home, and they’re all free! You can easily invite friends to join you as well. With a wide variety of workouts to choose from, you will never get bored. You can encourage each other to keep going and even correct each other on proper form. What better way to workout than having a friend, support system and a coach all rolled into one? It’s a total win, win.

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