Customize Your Fitness Routine

Checking Your Wellness Settings and Preferences for the New Season

Have you rebooted your routine for the new school year yet?

I think like a lot of people, my start to the fall has been more of a soft launch rather than a radical reboot. In some ways, the start of a new season feels really familiar. We get a nostalgic feeling of deja vu as the pumpkin spice flavors come out and the nights get a bit cooler. Yet as we pull out tucked away items of clothing for the season or feel the chilly breeze on our skin , we might feel like newer, fresher, or even just changed versions of ourselves.

When we do a system reboot or get a new piece of technology, it is common for us to head straight to the preferences menu. We love to choose everything from font size and language to background screen photos and ringtones to suit our needs and desires.

If you find yourself wanting to get back into a routine but feeling like this season might be calling for something different than you have done in the past, where can you get started?

Take some time to consider what your own current settings and preferences are right now! Here are a few questions to help you reflect:

• If you had to put into one word how you want to feel after your movement routine, what would it be?

  
  

• Do you prefer to work out alone or with others?

  
  

• Do you like a high energy environment with lots of music, lights, and socializing? Or do you crave a calm experience that feels more gentle and serene?

  
  

• Would you prefer to be outside in nature, at home, or in a group setting like a gym?

  
  

• Do you typically have more energy in the mornings, on your lunch break, or after work?

  
  

• Are you the kind of person who likes to multi-task while moving (like watching a show or biking between errands), lose track of time by getting lost in the music, or focus on being really present in your body?

  
  

• What are your current health and wellness goals? Strength, coordination, weight loss, longevity, balance, flexibility, stress-relief, etc? 

  
  

After years of having movement be such a big part of my life, I truly believe there is almost always some kind of movement for everyone. I’ve found that understanding myself and my preferences as they are now (something that is ever-changing!), as well as getting clear about where I want to go in the future, are key components in sticking with a routine feels energizing rather than taxing.

For example, I’ve discovered that when it comes to cardio, I absolutely love losing myself in the music and community of a Zumba class. The hour really flies by! When it comes to stretching or yoga, I likely will not do it unless I am in a class led by a teacher and booked in advance so that I can’t cancel. Even then, I do not want to talk to anyone. I would rather be quiet and have my eyes closed as much as possible!

For strength training, I prefer to do it at home with weights and YouTube videos. Outdoor movement is an area I still have a lot to learn about myself in, but for now it’s usually easiest for me to cycle to classes or walk while running errands.

These are my own specific ways to enjoy my movement and make it mine. But each of us has our own specific combination of customizable preferences to adjust and readjust with the seasons, our age and current abilities. 

Personally, this fall I look forward to seeing what else I can learn about what my body needs and enjoys, building off of what I already know and being mindful of the long-term vision of wellness I have for myself. 

So what does your own customized and unique  wellness routine look like this fall?

If a part of your ideal routine is dancing with others or dancing at home, come join us! As always, we welcome you to dance in person here in Taipei with us or to move with me online from anywhere in the world.

Keep moving! 

xx,

Katie