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Spring is just around the corner, and we couldn't be more excited! If you're like most people, you probably spent the past several months curled up under blankets, eating comfort foods and forgoing exercise due to nasty weather. With its warmer weather, beautiful scenery and fresh energy, there's just something about the arrival of spring that urges us to make a new start. Are you ready to come out of hibernation and recommit to your healthy habits? Here are some of our favorite ways to get back on track after a long, sedentary winter. Clear Out Your Cupboards Give both your kitchen and your body a spring tune-up! Clear your pantry and fridge of any expired food, and donate any unwanted items to your local food bank (we're looking at you, chocolate-covered almonds left over from the holidays!). Re-stock with lean proteins, fresh produce and healthy snacks. We like grab-and go fruits like apples and bananas, homemade trail mixes and Meta Health Bars. (Get more snack ideas here!) Be a Deep-Clean Machine Now that your kitchen cupboards are squeaky clean, it's time to tackle the rest of the house. Go room by room and remove any unnecessary clutter that you might have accumulated over the winter (or even over the years). Haven't used something in six months or more? Pitch it or give it away to a thrift store. You'll be so much more relaxed and comfortable in your home when you get rid of things you don't truly need. Here are some of our favorite strategies for cleaning the house from top to bottom. Turn Spring Cleaning Into Spring Training While you're getting your hands dirty, why not turn your deep-cleaning session into a workout? Crank up your favorite music and do squat reps while holding a bucket of cleaning supplies, or do walking lunges while vacuuming or mopping. Every little bit counts! Click here for more ideas to help you turn your spring cleaning into spring training. Train for a Race Training for a 5K or a 10K is a great way to help you amp up your motivation and keep you focused on your fitness goals. Find a local running group to meet like-minded people to train with, or try SparkPeople's free 5K and 10K training programs to get you started. If you can't afford to sign up for an organized race, or if there aren't any happening near you, you can also run a virtual race. Set a New Goal By now, those New Year's resolutions you set back in January might be feeling a bit stale. Take a look at what you had wanted to accomplish and how much progress you've made toward your goals. Perhaps your priorities have changed since then—and that's OK! Make any needed adjustments to your goals and pledge to try a different strategy moving forward. Here's how to set goals you can keep for the long haul. Get Into Gardening Start up your own garden to experience the beautiful spring weather while burning some major calories! As a bonus, if you have a vegetable garden, you get to reap the benefits of healthy home-grown produce. Ready to get your hands dirty? Here's how to get started! Commit to an Active Commute If you live relatively close to your office, you might want to consider walking or biking to work in lieu of driving. It's a great way to work your way up to the recommended 10,000 steps per day, and you might be surprised by how much more energized you feel throughout the day. Frequent the Farmers Market Spring brings with it an abundance of seasonal produce, and the farmers markets are overflowing with fresh fruits and veggies this time of year. Supporting local food means you get more nutrients from your produce since it's fresher, and you'll also be helping the environment by eating food that was grown within miles of your immediate community. Get ideas for seasonal foods to pick up at your farmers market this spring. Need more motivation to have your healthiest, happiest spring yet? Join the 30-Day Small Changes Challenge, or check out the Thrive 365 Center for inspiration to live better every day. This series is brought to you by Meta, a SparkPeople sponsor. |
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