Now that summer is essentially over, we are all getting back into more of a routine.

It’s time to think about what we want to achieve with our new “normal.”

This is a perfect time to establish some fitness goals that you will stick with throughout the fall and winter holiday season.

Perhaps you completely checked out of anything resembling a workout during the summer months or haven’t been physically active for years.

Don’t dwell on the choices that you’ve already made.

Now that school is back in session and vacation travel has mostly concluded, planning your new workout schedule just got a little easier.

What are you willing to do each day to exercise your body?

If it’s been awhile since you’ve done any real exercise, I encourage you to start slow and build up to more challenging routines.

The mistake I see many folks make is that they start from ground zero and try to take on a workout program that is far too advanced for where they are.

This inevitably ends up with injury, discouragement or general hatred of all things fitness.

There is a better way.

Start by being honest with yourself about your current level of fitness.

If you used to be a high school or college athlete but haven’t worked out consistently for many years, you are not ready to jump into doing your old workout routines…yet.

You might consider starting by building up some cardio-respiratory fitness first.

This could be starting with 10-20 minutes of a brisk walk every day for a few weeks. From there, maybe you could start walking longer and add in some hills.

Including some resistance training is definitely a good idea so joining a class at a gym or working with a knowledgeable trainer is a great way to get you started safely with good form.

It’s far better to start small with something that you will actually do consistently rather than jump in over your head and hope for the best.

Setting the habit of regular exercise is incredibly important. Don’t underestimate the power of carving out even ten minutes of your day to strengthen your body.

There is a lot more to fitness than having a “beach body”. You’ll feel better physically, mentally and emotionally when you develop a strong, healthy body.

You can get there – but you have start somewhere. Why not today?