The new year is just around the corner. It’s time to start planning for new adventures, training, and making a few New Year’s resolutions. Get fit, stay motivated, and get after it in 2020.
Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. Try these motivating tools to keep your rear in gear.
Virtual Personal Trainer
NordicTrack takes training to a new level with iFit, an interactive “connected fitness” technology in its suite of products, including incline trainers, treadmills, rowers, strength towers, ellipticals, and cycle machines.
For example, iFit has workout programs led by certified trainers and coaches onscreen. Its library of destinations lets you run, bike, or paddle virtually through forests, on rivers, beaches, and up mountains around the world. All sessions are led by a coach who gives tips on pace, breathing, form, and other factors to make the workout more efficient (and fun!).
The machines auto-adjust for speed, incline, and resistance to mimic terrain onscreen. The result is an experience that simulates true outdoor activities, and you get an iFit coach to keep you on track.
Don’t miss the NordicTrack Adventure Grant Contest. One lucky winner will receive $7,500 in cash and a NordicTrack machine of their choice to make their Adventure Resolution a reality. Learn more and enter to win here.
Tunes & Tracking Apps
Music can power a workout like no other external motivator. And the latest apps specific to curating tracks are pretty clever. Try Fit Radio or RockMyRun for instant access to DJ-style mixing, tempo-matched songs, and tunes that suit any physical activity you can imagine.
Add some wireless, sweatproof headphones like the Jaybird Tarah Pro or the bone-conducting Aeropex by AfterShokz, and you’re good to go.
As for health tracking, there’s no better accountability companion than a smartphone or watch-compatible fitness app. MyFitnessPal, for example, is a classic for going as deep as macronutrients. MapMyFitness still tops for physical-activity tracking. And newcomer Keelo is excellent for pushing it during HIIT workouts on a heart-rate monitor.
Nutrition Station
The last thing you want to worry about when you’re working out is whether you have the right hydration and nutrition before or after a sweat session.
To avoid digging through the cabinets or making last-minute grocery runs, keep a caddy stashed with your favorite water bottles, electrolytes, protein bars, and whatever else you need to fuel will do.
You can get one on Amazon or the Container Store. But what you load it with is a matter of personal preference — and importance. We like simple dissolving electrolyte tabs like Nuun, now in new formulations.
Energy bars evolve each year, but trusted brands include the all-organic Clif Bar or ProBar, which fills like a meal. But you may have specific needs, like gluten-free bars, so just add a bevy of samples to your caddy.
Winterproof Workout Apparel
The best way to avoid burnout in any fitness routine or resolution is to mix it up. Train inside during yucky days: Lift weights or spin, run, or row on a trainer. But when the sun is out and the icy wind has died down, by all means, get outside.
When you have the right apparel, training outside is great. If you’re skiing uphill, downhill, or cross-country, start with some warm but sweat-wicking wool layers. Smartwool’s body-mapping technology has taken this effort up a notch.
Out for a chilly run? Check out Dahlie, a European training apparel brand that’s making headway in the U.S. And don’t forget those extremities — nose, ears, and hands. Cover your most susceptible parts with a multifunctional BUFF, icebreaker beanie, or fleece gloves.
Training Footwear
Because up to quadruple your body weight can land on your feet (depending on your activity of choice), footwear is essential for training indoors and out.
And with all the foot issues come along with improperly fitting shoes — blisters, arch discomfort, rolled ankles, plantar fasciitis, among others — functional footwear is a must for keeping any fitness resolution.
Check out some of the trainers we’ve tested recently, like this HIIT-specific shoe. Or head to your local running store and get fit old-school-style in a shoe that can handle your mileage, terrain, and toenails.
Gear-Hauler
If you work out at places other than home, you know that how you haul your gear is critical. Everyone has a preference for the tote, duffel, backpack, or weatherproof carrier that works best for their individual lifestyle. But finding one that fits is key.
Sort by sport, such as this Nike backpack that drains well and rolls right up for winter swim sessions. Consider some of these totes we’ve already tried. Or get something element-proof that will last forever like the best-selling Black Hole bags.
Recovery Toolkit
Your fitness resolutions will last a lot longer if you don’t get injured. To prevent that from happening, build active recovery into your weekly workout sessions. For not much money, you can load up on a foam roller and lacrosse balls for massage.
Take recovery a step further with the uber-comfy OOFOS recovery sandals. And consider a daily CBD routine, whether it’s swallowing an oil capsule designed for athletes or applying a cream to your sorest parts.
And don’t forget that your workout wear needs to recover too. Wash it with a fitness freshener detergent like this one we recently reviewed. An activewear-specific cleaner will help you smell better and avoid harsh washes on your most precious fitness gear.
