Sara Haley, one of America’s most sought after pre & postnatal exercise specialists, and a certified instructor and trainer with the American Council on Exercise (ACE), has a true passion for educating women. Her specialty is helping moms-to-be stay motivated, inspired, and fit throughout their pregnancy and beyond. As a mom herself, she also uses her own experiences and tools to help women discover their own interests beyond motherhood, and find new and creative ways to connect with their kids and themselves.
Haley shares her unique approach to New Year’s resolutions with Thrive, and shows us how we can set goals without sacrificing the things that are important to us.
Set an early alarm clock
Waking up early is hard, and I know you’ve heard it before, but it might just be what’s holding you back from meeting your fitness goals. If you’re one to say that you just don’t have time in your day to workout, you might just have to make time that hasn’t been there before: set an alarm, go to bed earlier, and remember that doesn’t have to mean a whole hour earlier.
Get a better workout with less time
How do you do this? You have to push yourself more. By pushing yourself to lift heavier weights or get breathless during your workouts (unless you are pregnant), you’ll burn more calories in a shorter period of time. In fact, when I have less time, I feel even more focused because I know I have to get in and get out! If you want a little taste of how to make the most of your time, you can go here to download my free workout that will give you a great workout in just 5 minutes of work.
Consider a “better-than-nothing workout”
“Something is always better than nothing.” This is my fitness philosophy. I say this often because it is so true. If you cannot find time in the day to dedicate specifically to a workout, then squeeze in movement throughout your day. I have free workout videos for kitchen workouts, bath tub workouts, bedtime stretch routines, and more. Sneaking in a couple lunges while vacuuming or a push up here and there while playing on the floor with the baby is far better than doing nothing! I doubt you’ll ever go to bed saying, “Oh, I really wish I hadn’t done those 20 squats today,” but I bet you might go to bed saying, “I really wish I had moved my body more today.”
Make a priority list
This one is hard because it requires you to be super honest with yourself. I challenge you to sit down and create a priority list of the top 5-10 things in your life. If fitness and movement isn’t coming in high, that might be playing a big role in why you haven’t been fitting it in. When I did this exercise, I realized that I am not in a season of life where working out even makes it into my top five. And that’s okay because I know it’s just for now. I love to move my body and making this list helped me recognize that moving my body is best done when I can do so with my family.