Anybody can set a goal and hope for the best, but a goal without a plan is just a wish. There’s one more important ingredient to add to the mix, and it’s often the trickiest one to crack: motivation.

The good news is that motivation isn’t an innate skill given to a blessed few. Much like you can flex a muscle, there are ways for anyone to develop motivation and make healthy changes in life.

Have you ever wondered how to fit everything you want for yourself into your schedule? Meditate, get fit, be healthy, feel happy and have the energy you need? Oh, and, finish all your personal and professional responsibilities. This is our challenge.

A way to tackle this reality is to add a nature walk into your weekly routine

Here are 10 ways you can stay fit during the holidays. You may think it’s impossible to find time for exercise during the holidays. Think again! You can stay active. These helpful holiday fitness ideas will motivate you to find ways to increase physical activity and to fit in exercises whenever possible, while still enjoying a fun, happy and healthy holiday season.

 Have you ever felt mentally exhausted? In other words, you cannot deal with one more thing? Or, do you find yourself being unable to pay attention, making simple mistakes or forgetting things? These can be signs of digital overload.

In a healthy fitness routine, the goal is that you come not to mind working out. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your favorite part of the day, but it shouldn’t be something you dread either. The trouble is getting to that point from scratch! One way to do it is actually through a handy little workout app called Pact. 

Check out 8 mind and body ways to avoid catching a cold or flu this season. You can use natural methods to boost your immune system and also have fun and feel great.

Green exercise is intentionally exercising outdoors to enjoy not only the physical benefits of being active, but also the additional health benefits that come from doing the exact same activity outside, instead of inside. 

Most everyone is working to manage weight. We live in a food rich environment; technology has eliminated most natural physical activity. A simple strategy to prevent weight gain, and for some to even lose weight without trying, is to weigh yourself daily.

Green exercise refers to intentionally exercising outdoors to enjoy both physical benefits and a huge number of other health benefits that we don't gain from the same amount of indoor movement. Scientists have been comparing identical activities done indoors and outdoors. The research results are fascinating.

I discovered the Stretch Out Strap over 15 years ago and yet it still remains one of the best stretching tools that I have found.  Most people need to add more stretching into their day, but don’t know how to squeeze it in. I recommend using breaks while working at your desk or computer.

Numerous studies show that prolonged sitting (and now standing) is bad for your health.  Many of us, myself included, earn our livelihoods by work done when sitting. The key to overcoming the negative effects of sitting or standing without moving seems to be to move more and to move more often. 

Adding to the list of the many benefits of yoga, a large review of 37 studies with 2,768 subjects, shows that yoga also benefits your heart.  Regular yoga practice may reduce heart disease risks as effectively as brisk walking or biking.

Let’s be totally real: I love exercising to look and feel great, but apart from developing leaner muscles and toning up, one of my biggest motivations is brain training. Seriously. As a writer, I appreciate that maintaining mental sharpness and improving my memory let me enjoy a better quality of life, especially as I get older (Yes, we can say it. It’s happening to all of us every day and we can do it better).

Walking is one of the best ways to improve health, get in shape, lose weight, keep weight off, and stay in shape. For example, 94% of people in the National Weight Control Registry, which has one of the largest databases regarding individual weight loss, increased physical activity to achieve weight loss and most of these people chose walking to get active.

The first step? Find your WHY. Figure out why you want to exercise. Connect with your heart. How will your life improve? Will you have more energy, be slimmer, more attractive, or more successful? How will you be different from who you are today? Identify the specific reasons why you want to exercise and visualize yourself as that person.

Get ready for the next wave of technology that is transforming training as we know it. While visiting two recent tech events in Southern California, Wearable Tech & IOT and The Luxury Technology Show, I had an opportunity to try out some of training's hottest new devices. While most of you have been working with activity trackers, apps, and smartwatches, this new product wave is all about sensors.

We all get Spring Fever after a long winter. Nothing seems as wonderful as a bright blue sky, fresh air and the warmth of the sun against your skin. But, if you’ve been training indoors during a cold winter, you need to transition back to outdoor workouts.

We all know traveling can be stressful from long commutes to long lines at the airport, that impact the way we move, eat and sleep. Here’s the low-down from our interview with Shirley Archer on tips for traveling well. 
 

What do you do when your tried and true workout routine stops working for you?

A fitness plateau can be your body’s signal that it’s time for a change, experts say, or a sign that you’ve been looking for progress in all the wrong places.

“A plateau is a period where you stop making progress,” said Marshall Roy, a New York City-based personal trainer at Equinox, the national chain of fitness centers. “It isn’t a death sentence and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s feedback from your body that what you’re doing has stopped working.”

Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting ventures in a person’s life. You know that you are preparing for an incredible moment that you will want to cherish forever, cameras will be flashing and the day will pass much too quickly. Wanting to look and feel your best is natural. You will be creating memories that will last for generations to come. Starting your new life together is also a deeply spiritual and transformational event. You are on the verge of beginning a new life and new partnership. To honor this occasion, I recommend a mind-body-spirit approach.