Let’s Thrive in 2025!
We’re three weeks into Get Fit 2025 – have you made any little changes that are making a difference?
Drinking enough water does more than quench your thirst – it helps your body regulate its temperature, helps your body remove waste and it helps your digestion!
Adding activity to your day can lower your blood pressure, improve your sleep and lower your chance of developing some chronic diseases.
Adding strength training to your exercise routine improves your heart health and strength, and can improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls.
Paying attention to what you eat and focusing on healthy foods can reduce your heart disease and diabetes risk – and give your body the nutritious fuel it needs.
It’s easy to focus on big goals like “I want to lose 10 pounds.” But the way to get to those goals is through little changes like the ones above.
How is your Wellness Tracker sheet looking? Do you have a few days when you hit all of the goals? Great job! This week, try and get all your goals checked off for 2 more days.
You can print out another copy of the sheet here. And remember, the Get Fit points calculator site is designed for you to enter your information once a week, and you must submit your points within 2 weeks of earning them.
Points Points Points!
While we’re talking about points, remember, attending the free Family Fun Night at the YMCA of Northwest Illinois in Freeport can get you 5 points for the first time you go, and 1 point for each time after that!
Let’s Get Moving
On our first quiz, we asked “What are you interested in learning about?” One of the most frequent answers was that you want to learn how to start an exercise routine that sticks.
The simplest form of exercise is just walking. The weather is kind of dodgy this time of year, but when you can, bundle up and head outside for a quick walk!
When it’s too cold/snowy/gross outside, take your exercise inside at one of our fitness partners!
Here are some tips to help you start – and stick with – a walking routine.
A lot of you expressed interest in strength training, too. Here’s a 15-minute workout for beginners.
And, if dancing it out is your thing, here’s a guide to get started with dancing workouts!
In the Kitchen
You’ve probably learned that squash (like spaghetti, butternut, and acorn squashes) is a great way to get more fruits and veggies into your diet. Allrecipes has a great beginner’s guide to all the different squashes.
And if you’ve never quite gotten the hang of spaghetti squash, here are some fun tips.
Football!
You may have heard that there is a big football game coming up this weekend. The snacking possibilities are huge, obviously.
Remember to keep healthy eating in mind – here’s a list of snacks with 100 calories or less.
And here are 30 healthy snacks you might want to add to your lineup.
Speaking of your snack lineup, this week’s recipe is a healthier version of a Big Game classic – Baked Buffalo Wings!
Quiz Winner
Congratulations to Quiz #1 winner Nanette D. She’s getting a $25 grocery gift card!
Don't forget to take Quiz #2 and follow us on Facebook for more fun tips and recipes!