This post with tips to improve your fitness is sponsored by NOWÂŽ. Iâve been a customer and fan of the brand for many years, and Iâm happy to be a partner again this year.
Hello, friend! I hope your 2025 has been going great so far! Because the new year is often a time that people get re-energized in their health and fitness routines, I thought today would be a great day to share some tips to improve your fitness ⌠coming straight from me, a fitness instructor. (And, if you make it to the end, youâll see how you can enter to win a $300 e-gift card to NOWFoods.com.)
And here are the tips to improve your fitness âŚ
1. Make sure youâre wearing the proper footwear for the workout youâre doing. And make sure youâre changing out your sneakers every few months.
If youâre running, you should wear running shoes. If youâre lifting weights, you should wear cross-training or flat lifting shoes (not running shoes) or even go barefoot. And if youâve been working out for a long time in the same sneakers, itâs probably a good idea to get new sneakers, even if they donât look old from the outside.
Letâs talk about why all this matters âŚ
How your feet feel and function is a big part of how the rest of your body will feel and function in your workouts. You want to be safe, stable and supported properly from the ground up, to ensure proper alignment through the ankles, knees and even hips. If something is off with your shoes, it can affect your workouts, thus impeding your form or increasing your risk of injury.
Running shoes are designed mostly for front/back impact workouts, and they often have a slightly elevated heel and toe. This works great for running, but it doesnât work as well for lifting weights, where you want a flatter surface for your feet. Thatâs why you should take note of which type of sneaker youâre wearing for each workout that you do.
Next up, you want to monitor the age of the sneaker. In fact, if youâre doing four or more workouts of moderate to high intensity a week on the same pair of sneakers, you probably want to change those sneakers out every three or four months. I know that seems crazy, but itâs true. And I know this, because long ago, I wore sneakers for too long and developed shin splints, and Iâll never let that happen again. While the outside of my shoes looked fine (because I primarily wore them indoors), I had worn down the interior of the shoes with repetitive movements, and it ended up causing pain and injury in my lower legs.
Moral of the story: Keep track of when you introduce new sneakers into your workout life with a note in your phone or on your phoneâs calendar. Monitor how your body feels in those particular shoes for the workouts you do, and change out the sneakers at least a couple times a year to be safe. Also, make sure you wear the right shoes for the workout at hand, and youâll hopefully notice a difference in your fitness performance.
2. Level up your workouts and recovery with smart supplementation as needed. And try not to wait too long after your workout to eat to refuel and repair.
I often tell my class members after our workout is complete, that if they arenât planning to eat lunch within an hour, they should probably reach for a protein shake of at least 20 grams of protein to hold them over until they can eat a proper meal. Why? Because not only do you want to stay energized, but you also want to start the recovery, repair and growth phase that happens after a workout (specifically a strength workout), and that process is supported with protein refueling (and some carbs, of course).
If youâre someone who does a great job at fitting in your workouts, but you donât do a great job of eating for performance and recovery, this could be where supplements help you out. You can sometimes use supplements to enhance your diet (not to replace food though, so letâs get that straight right now).
While I like to think I know what Iâm doing with my nutrition, I still know I need more than food in my routine because of how active I am as a working group fitness instructor. In fact, over the last year or so, Iâve increased the amount of supplements I use to support my fitness endeavors, and itâs helping. I take creatine once a day, I have one protein shake a day, and I also take BCAAs once a day. Hereâs what I take and why:
- NOWÂŽ Sports Organic Plant Protein Power in my a shaker (along with creatine) after my workout. Muscles need a lot of protein to function and recover after a workout.* This protein powder provides 21 grams of plant protein per serving. I have a few protein powders I rotate between, and this is one of them.
- NOWÂŽÂ Sports Creatine Monohydrate Micronized Powder in my protein shake, and I sip that protein shake directly after my workout. Creatine is a compound that occurs naturally in the skeletal muscles, and taking creatine monohydrate (the supplement form of creatine) in this way can help maintain muscle tissue, support the growth of new lean muscle mass and promote optimal performance during intense exercise.*
- NOWÂŽ Sports BCAA Big 6 Powder in my water cup when I exercise, and I sip it throughout my workout and after. BCAAs are branched-chain amino acids, and taking them in this way can support muscle retention and recovery.*
While you donât need to load up on supplements, if youâve been stagnant in your fitness routine for a while, it could be that supplements could help you along. Iâve felt stronger and a little more lean since introducing both creatine and BCAAs early last year.
Moral of the story: While supplements are a ânice to haveâ not a âhave to have,â it could be a good idea to consider adding in creatine, a protein powder or BCAAs to your routine to see if it helps you improve either your performance or recovery. And also, donât forget to refuel shortly after your workout, because thatâs way too important to skip.
3. Take a good look at your weekly workout routine, write it down and assess whether it includes enough strength, cardio, flexibility and recovery.
Let me say this: If your only goal is to get moving (because you havenât been moving), then anything you choose to do as your movement is a good choice. If youâd be on the couch if you didnât take kickboxing every single day, then go kick away. And if you only have time for a 15-minute walk each day, then walk it out. This point about assessing your routine is for those who are a bit further along in their fitness journey âŚ
Your workout week should ideally include a combination of strength training, cardio training, flexibility training and recovery. And I know that seems like a lot. For me, Iâm able to combine many of those aspects into my group fitness classes, so my bases are mostly covered. But if youâre not into group fitness or donât have access to it, you may want to find a workout plan to follow from a professional, to make sure youâre well rounded.
Iâve written a ton about scheduling your workout week intentionally before, but letâs do a basic breakdown here:
- Try not to do too many tough full-body workouts back to back on consecutive days, which can inhibit proper recovery. Your muscles grow when your workout is done, so neglecting rest days or recovery days could mean you donât make as much progress.
- Try to lift weights two to four times a week. If you donât have any weights, you can use your own bodyweight or even bands to provide a little resistance and help challenge your muscles.
- Take at least one rest day or active recovery day each week, which ideally is scheduled the day after a really tough full-body strength workout. Your active recovery day can always include walking or light yoga or other gentle movement. You donât have to be totally still on a rest day.
- Write down your weekly workout routine and try to keep it fairly consistent from week to week. While the movements you do each day may differ, knowing that Monday is always full-body strength and Tuesday is always gentle yoga or walking is helpful.
Moral of the story: While fitting in any form of exercise is always commendable, if youâre looking to improve your fitness, you may need to look at exactly what youâre fitting in each week to see if itâs the right line-up of strength, cardio and rest in the right order to maximize your recovery and results.
4. Prepare for your workouts by pre-hydrating. Stay hydrated during your workouts, and consider adding in an electrolyte boost.
Did you know that if youâre even a little bit dehydrated during your workout, you can have a higher heart rate, more muscle breakdown and a decrease in strength? Itâs true.Â
While we often think to drink water after our workouts because weâre thirsty, if youâve waited to drink until then, youâve probably been quite dehydrated. While the general goal for most people is to drink about half your bodyweight in ounces of water (weigh 160 pounds, then shoot to drink 80 ounces) â thatâs the bare minimum. You also need about 16 ounces of extra water per hour of exercise and even more if youâre a big sweater. I try to drink my bodyweight in ounces of water a day (145 pounds, means 145 ounces), and itâs a lot of water.
Sometimes water alone isnât enough to replace what you sweat out, so itâs great to include a hydration product in at least one of those glasses of water you drink when youâre active. Ideally, you would want to drink the hydration product before and during your workout. NOW has a great option for you with its NOWÂŽ Sports Effer-Hydrate Effervescent Mixed Berry Tablets, full of minerals and electrolytes to hydrate your cells and keep you feeling good.*
Moral of the story: Itâs not just about drinking water after a workout. Show up properly hydrated to your workout and see your overall performance and perceived exertion levels improve.
5. Appreciate your bodyâs ability to move, and learn to love the opportunity to exercise.
Okay, maybe this point seems a little fluffy, but I think it matters.
Hereâs the deal: Some of the most fit people I know are people who love to move their bodies. They may not have always felt that way, but they took time trying a lot of different types of workouts and programs and found what works best for them. Iâm one of those people too. Iâve tried so many things and landed on several types of group fitness classes that truly make me happy. While Iâm not 100 percent motivated all the time, I have found a select amount of workouts that I really like to do and that certainly helps me stay consistent. And I know that being in a position to choose different types of workouts and move my body is not something everyone has â Iâm lucky. So are you! đÂ
Moral of the story: Remember, being able to exercise is a gift, and if you can get even a little bit of that concept into your mind (and heart), you may find that youâre more consistent and more energized every time you choose to work out.
Thanks for reading these tips to improve your fitness!
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Thatâs it for today, friend. Have a great day.
Disclaimer: Thanks again to NOW for sponsoring this post. While I was compensated, all of these opinions are totally my own. Thanks, NOW! #NOWWellness
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.