fitness goals

Meet Sugar user ku002 and check out the fitness goals she posted in our Get Fit For 2011 community group. By doing so, she entered our weekly giveaway!

2011 Goals

1. Stretch every day! This can be in the form of a yoga class, a quick wake-me-up toe touch when I get out of bed, or a little pause in the workday (in the privacy of my office!). But every day I want to take a mindful moment to stretch and reflect on all the things my body can do for me.

2. Be more mindful about my physical activity. Some days I just zone out on the elliptical and don't get the work that I put the time in for. While this is fine some days (hello stress!), why waste my time if I'm just going to waste my time? On the flip side, I know my activity may not always be the healthiest decision. So I'd like to include some thought into each work out — outlining why I'm doing it and what I want to accomplish.

3. On that note . . . I'd like to run a 10K by September! 5K — check! Now let's step it up!

4. Have fun! With a new rock climbing class this Spring semester, I can't wait to get out there and ROCK IT!

Share your fitness and health goals for the New Year in the Get Fit For 2011 community group and enter to win our weekly prize: a $100 Nike gift card. We're also giving away a fabulous grand prize fitness package!

Meet Sugar user onlysourcherry and check out the fitness goals she posted in our Get Fit For 2011 community group. By doing so, she entered our weekly giveaway!

I’m so excited about 2011 because I’m determined to make this the year I finally reach my dream weight and dream body. I’m 5’6” and currently weigh 137 pounds. By the end of this challenge, or at least before bikini season, I hope to weigh 125 pounds.

My plan:

During weekdays, eat 1200 calories. On weekends, I have more flexibility, but absolutely everything I eat must be recorded on the Daily Plate. I also hope to cut down on my sodium intake. Despite the fact that I eat very little processed foods, never add salt, and typically cook for myself, I somehow always end up over the 2400 mg a day.

In terms of fitness, I want to do the treadmill/elliptical (depending on my mood) for 45 minutes three times a week. Pilates once a week (with a 20 minute treadmill/elliptical warm-up), and yoga twice a week — once on my own (also with a cardio warm-up), and once in a class.

I’ve been keeping up so far with these goals, and I’m looking forward to posting an awesome bikini photo by the end of this challenge!

Share your fitness and health goals for the New Year in the Get Fit For 2011 community group and enter to win our weekly prize: a $100 Nike gift card. We're also giving away a fabulous grand prize fitness package!

Source: Flickr User lululemon athletica

Two thousand ten is over, which means not only are we going through all the Best of 2010, but it's also time to get serious about New Year's resolutions. We're curious if you have any healthy resolutions for 2011, so speak up and share them in the comments section below. No resolution is too big or too small to share —  we want to hear them all. And, if you're worried about veering off track, check out our video on how to make resolutions stick.

Last week Harvard researchers released some depressing statistics about the future of obesity in the US, saying that close to half of us will be obese within the next 40 years. A large reason why, the study claimed, is because of our social networks redefining what is acceptable.

If socializing with people who make unhealthy lifestyle choices can lead to a skewed view about obesity, then encouraging those who may be less motivated to get into a fitness routine sounds like a good idea. And even if you're just in a temporary slump, thinking of your fitness goals as a game can get you excited about working out. Luckily in this era of technology there are many ways to make a night out of socializing and fitness, join others around the world who share your goals, or play a game to make burning calories more fun. Check out some console and online gaming options after the break.

Some of us like to work out with buddies, and some prefer the solitary approach, but we all can appreciate how our fitness goals connect us to others on a similar workout mission. Finding a group of like-minded exercise buffs can be a great way to meet new people while also motivating yourself. My friend recently finished grad school and moved to a new city, and while she loves her town and her new career, moving to a place where you don't know anyone can be a little intimidating. She decided to join a rock climbing group on Meetup, a social website that aims to gather people with similar interests into groups that meet every few weeks.

Meetup has many fitness-related activities to choose from in any given city, like hiking, team sports, or kayaking, so it makes it easy to find the perfect exercise group to join. When choosing a group, think about your social and fitness goals. Joining a yoga group is great if you want to step up your knowledge of poses, but may not be the best place to socialize. Or if you know you aren't into competitive sports but still want to find a group that encourages communication, try a dance or hiking group. Either way, you may come out of the experience with a new friend or two, or maybe a roster of workout buddies to keep you on track!

Have you ever used Meetup or another exercise group to find friends with similar fitness goals?

Source: Flickr User 29cm