Happy New Year! I trust that everyone had the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. I had a chance to bring in the New Year spending the weekend with my 15-month-old grandson, rolling around on the floor. Good thing I’m in shape, because the little tank never stopped moving around. I’m sure many of you know the feeling. The beauty of being a grandparent is the kids get to go back to their mommy and daddy. I know, shame on me, but he’ll be back.

The holiday season is upon us all and there will be numerous excuses to relax the exercise programs. The ideal situation will be to maintain a modified schedule to get those workouts and walks in three to four days a week. You are the one who will benefit.

In an interview with the Army Wife Network I was asked, why running? What is it that you get from running that keeps you going?

What keeps me going is the personal satisfaction of setting a goal and achieving it. There is nothing like lacing up a pair of shoes and stepping out the door.

The weather is beginning to turn, and it’s time to pull out the running shorts and shirts and put the hat and gloves away. The time to turn over a new lead is now. There is no secret to fitness, and the key is your willpower, which is training and control of yourself and your conduct, usually for improvement.” You can think of this in the context of your physical fitness program.

The cold weather comes every year, and we are faced with the decision to exercise or go into hibernation. The risk of hibernation is associated with eating more, and then when you step on the scale, there are an additional five pounds.
The winter is the time to maintain your exercise program and make the changes according to the weather forecast as there will be days when you can’t get it.

Summer vacations are now computer screen savers and cell phone backgrounds, and it’s back to your wall calendar, lists, meetings, kids’ practices, and weekend chores. If the weather and weeks ahead feel harsh, one thing will get easier: your workouts.