Back to School Back to YOU: 10 Tips for a New You

There’s something about getting back into a routine that makes you feel normal again. Sure, parents complain about dragging their kids to and from school and all their extracurricular activities – football, band, ballet, cheer, piano, church, etc. However, there is something very good about being forced into a solid (even if seemingly binding) routine.

We humans need structure.
Although I’m not a mom, I had the unique opportunity to be a mom for almost 2 years when my 12 year old sister came to live with us (or you could say she came for a summer to visit and never left! ha!). With band, basketball, church and all the other activities she was involved with, I became a part-time taxi and cheerleader. It was like taking a second job – but secretly, I liked it. Having structure forced me to manage my time better.

Sure, we’d all like to complain about it and talk about how great the summer was – free of the taxi job and stress of school. But the truth is, our body NEEDS a tighter schedule. Even if you don’t have kids like me, I still am impacted by school starting back up and the world around me being back in a steady rhythm. 

New School Year, New You
This time of year can be a second New Year of sorts. Think about it: Look how similar January and August are. Both follow a long holiday and both start a new semester of school. Most adults, unless you are in education, continue their lives pretty steadily all year long, but for some reason the school year affects us all – and THANK THE LORD it does because many of us have to forced back in to structure. If it were me, I’d just talk about it for another year or so! (I would always prefer to be a beach bum over business woman any day!)

Now is the time to kiss your Mojitos and beach bum living good bye – and get back to serious work. It’s time to assess old goals, set new goals, and put them into action. This is the time to map out your schedule of how you are going to take care of YOU – and DO IT! Back to school – Back to YOU!

10 Ways to Get Fit this Fall
1. Join a gym
2. Commit to attending a group exercise class
3. Enroll in Boot Camp for even more structure and accountability
3. Hire a personal trainer for more one-on-one help
4. Join an online fitness community like FitStudio.com
5. Join an online fitness program like BCx Boot Camp
6. Ask a friend to start walking with you everyday
7. Find someone at work to workout with during lunch or after work
8. Share the cost of a trainer with employees or friends
9. Rally moms up to meet you at the gym after dropping the kids off at school
10. Make the gym a “Gym Date” with your hubby. Most gyms have free childcare. Although many parents struggle with taking your child straight from school to daycare, it’s a different set of friends and they will have fun too. It may be the only time you and your spouse are together without kids – so enjoy it!!

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