Resolutions can be a great way to encourage a healthy shift in your lifestyle – but they can often feel overwhelming or not very exciting after a few weeks. So in an effort to keep your healthy 2022 goals in focus, here are my top three EVER BETTER™ Resolutions to try – any time of year! These are based on questions I get asked a lot: how to lose weight, how to eat better, and how to manage stress… enjoy!

But first – a couple resolutions tips:

1. Write down your goals. Research shows that only 3% of people set goals, and of those who achieve them, they write them down. So get a calendar and plot out with pen and paper what you want to achieve – then give yourself a gold star when you get there!
2. Expect you will fall off – but don’t quit. Every path to success has its downfalls – sometimes we need to fail in order to succeed. If you fall off, don’t stop! You can do it, it just takes some dedication, patience and belief in yourself.

Resolutions: Weight Loss

The good news is that if you want to lose weight, you CAN do it!! Exercise is important to healthy weight loss, and when it comes to fitness, small steps are the way to go. So start slow – add an extra 10 minutes of walking to your usual route each day, or try a new online workout class. Below is a fun, 30-minute workout to try, as well as a shorter low-impact interval training workout. Both will help burn calories and build muscle!

Fun and Fit Cardio Workout

8-Minute Low-Impact Interval Training Workout

Resolutions: Eating Healthier

A healthy diet also plays a big role not just in your weight and also your overall health… the right foods will give more energy, reduce inflammation, and make you feel GOOD! If you want to eat healthier in 2022, try these tips – a perfect way to get a nutrition resolution off the ground and into practice:

• Meal prep. Start by stocking up on fresh, whole foods. Buy them and then PREP them! You are going to be more apt to reach for cut up carrots to dip in hummus if they are ready to go. Try these meal prep tips for more info.
• Load up on produce. Fruits and vegetables are bursting with important nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Antioxidants are especially important for reducing the risk of many diseases and age-related illnesses. Making produce a mainstay in your diet can also help you lose weight – fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fiber and water, so they fill you up for very few calories and keep you feeling full.
• Learn how to shop. Go for the healthy foods first, and you are likely to bypass he unhealthy ones. Try these tips for shopping for foods!
• Eat a healthy breakfast. A healthy, quick breakfast is a great way to start the day – fill up on the good stuff and you set a good tone for the day!
• Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush toxins from your body, gives you energy, and leaves your skin dewy and plump.

Resolutions: Managing Stress

Unfortunately, unhealthy stress seems to be so common these days… but it doesn’t have to be! Two ways I manage stress are with exercise (try the workouts above when you feel anxious, or go for a walk – an instant de-stresser!) and breathing. Breathing exercises are a great way to instantly change your state of mind when you are stressed out, so add a breathing exercise to your resolution list!

Begin by standing or sitting up straight. Make sure your legs are not crossed. If you can, close your eyes slightly. Focus your mind on the back of your throat and inhale slowly and deeply. Try to visualize your breath moving down your throat, into your lungs and further down into your belly. Hold for 3 seconds and slowly exhale. Reverse the visualization of the are leaving your belly, your lungs and then your mouth. Make sure your exhale lasts as long as your inhale. Repeat until you feel a sense of equilibrium, balance and calm beginning to return.

I hope these resolutions help you live a healthy 2022 – you deserve it!

Let’s live EVER BETTER™ – together!

Denise

Video Transcript: Fun and Fit Cardio
Are you ready for your warm up? Let’s begin. Take a nice deep breath. Inhale up, exhale out. That’s it. Get that blood circulating to get the energy flowing. Good. Deep breaths again. Inhale, exhale. Wonderful. One more deep breath. Inhale, exhale. Good. Let’s warm up our back. That’s it. Pull it in. Pull in your tummy. Opening up the chest. That’s it. And warm up that back. Good. It opened up. Really feel it. And last one. Okay. Let’s step, touch. Get loaned out. Use your legs, hips, thighs, and buttocks. That’s right. It warms up quicker. Get the pulse circulating. You can do it. We’re going to do a lot of fat burning. Let’s begin shoulder rolls. Take it back and work at a couple more. Just like that. That’s it. Okay. Let’s punch it out to the side.

That’s it. Warming up the waistline, the back. Your chest and shoulders. Last one, punch it up. Here we go. And lift. Lift. Use your thighs. Come on, get down there. You can do it. Yes. It’s worth it. You’ll look great. You can lose weight, firm up and get in the best shape of your life. That’s it. That’s it. All right. Just walk it out. Come on. Now pump it, you can do it, have fun. Last one, here we go. Hold it here, hold it here. That’s it good. All we have to do is tap the floor. Tap. Tap lower. Come on. That’s it. Challenge yourself to warm it up. That’s it. You’re good.

You got squeeze that bottom Look great from behind. Two more. Last one. Hold it right here. Now squeeze the buttocks. Hold it. Good. Shift your weight and stretch the hamstring. That’s it. Here we go. Take it down. Good. And take it back. Stretching the hip flexors as well as the hamstrings. That’s great. One more really feel it. That’s it. Take it down. Stretch it back. Wonderful. And squat it down. Press. Squeeze the buttocks. That’s one. Okay, that’s great. Smile. We’re going to burn body fat. Yes we are. We’ll get the arms up and lift the leg. That’s great. We’ll have the best body make-over ever. That’s it. Good. Last one. Squeeze the butt now. Hold it right here. Stretch, stretch. Now go down a little stretch through the hamstring. Here you go. Press that hamstring. Here we go. Let’s really move it take it down to and press. To take it down two and press it, really shift your weight sit back two more. That’s one. Now hold it there wonderful. Pull your body all the way up. Good.

Come on, stick it out. We’re ready to turn your toes out. Turn your toes out. Now we’re warming up through the inner thighs. Feel it. Yes. Big Difference. Last one. Okay, and walk it out. Inhale and exhale. Inhale and exhale. Wonderful. And lunges and sweat, sweat, sweat, and that’s true. Don’t we? Hold it to this side. Hold it. Beautiful stretch. Inner thigh stretch chest is up. Twist a little rotation for the waist and sway forward sway to switch. Now to the other side, and really feel the stretch, really stretch up through the entire body. Head to toe. Hold it, and now slowly come up. Oh, let’s get moving. Now you’re all warmed up. Ready to burn some fat. Let’s go.

Okay, we’re going to do step metabolism, burning some fat and calories, and here we go. Pump those arms, the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn. Let’s take it forward. Just a nice walk and hold it. TAP it out. That’s it. Walk it back, hold it. TAP it out. Beautiful. Walk it and walk it back and tap it out again. Move it. That’s it. Get lower. Now you can do it. Yes. That’s it. Just have fun. Okay. Now when we come back, we’re going to do something a little different. A little different. Lift your knees, lift your heels. Great. Now stay right here. Think about good abs, strong posture. That’s it. Zip them up. Come on. Feel your core. That’s it. Working that lower tummy too a couple more, lift it up higher. Don’t slouch. Back is strong, a couple more. You can do it. Last one. Okay. Let’s take it all together. Up two, out two, back two great! Again and take it back out. That’s great. Think about good posture. Zip up the abs. Keep moving, great. We’re going to do it all over again. Here we go. Are you ready? Go. One, two, three, two, three, two, three.

Are you strong. Great. Okay. Now let’s work the lower body to keep that heart rate still up though. Here we go. To right, Walk down the other side. Good that’s inside your side. Get down there. Come on, pull the arms. Nice and strong. That’s it. Good sit back. really feel it. Sit back through the heel. That’s it. Great. Get a better butt you can do it. Last. Set. Good. Now we’re going to do V steps. Switch legs. That’s it. Great. Keep it going. You can do this. Challenge Yourself. Good. Use your thighs. That’s it. Good. Now we’re going to put it all together. Here we go. Ready? Squat to the other side. Squat. Good. Squat. Good step. Here we go. Side out in. Switch side out in again. Good. Got It. One more time. And Squat. Good. Squat two more squats. Come on. Go in there beautiful. And Bs go. Yeah. Good. Another one. That’s it. Okay. Just hold it right here. Good. Stay low. Come on, use your thighs. You and your butt. Use your legs. Good. Hold it right here. Now we’re going to have a little jump to this. Stephanie’s going to do a little lighter. Okay. A little easier, if you just start out, do what Stephanie’s doing good. Hold it up there. Stick it. Stick it. My gymnastic years. Good. Two more. Here. Do a little combo. Here we go. Four easy. Good. Ready for challenge yourself. Here we go. Four easy stay low stay low, four hard.

You did it! Exhale. Pump those arms. That’s it. Really get going. Okay. Let’s work my favorite move. That’s a little fun bounce. Are you ready? You can do this. Let’s go two more and punch it out. Here we go out out light on your feet. That’s it. You’re doing it. We’re going to add a little hip action here. Here we go. Add it now. Hip shake a baby that works the waist. You’re still burning calories. Getting that heart rate up. That’s it. Let’s put it all together and that’s it. Tap, tap again. Bounce it how fun and hip it hit and hit. One more time. Good. Tap that you can do it. All right take a breather. Always really little simple here to catch your breath. And now we’ve got a little something harder. Ready to take it forward and back, forward. Shake your booty. Come on, come on, shake it, shake it, and shake it and drink it. And yet, good. Last one. Good. Okay. March it. We’re to put that together. Now from the very top. Here we go. Ready? Side side. That’s it. Ready? Hip it, hip it. Lets see you, shake the booties. Have Fun.

Okay. Step it out. You got it. Let me see those hips. Shake those hips. Yeah. Ok and shake it forward. Last one. Just march in place. Breather. Easy. Breathe, and exhale. Good. Take a nice deep breath. Okay. Now we’re going to really firm up the upper arms to shape those sexy arms. It’s beginning in a light jog, bicep curls. Now again, Stephanie is going to walk it out a little. Make it easier on her. No impact. Otherwise given it a try. Come on, you can do it. Good. Let’s firm up the chest. Now, add a little of the lifting of the chest. Little scissors. You can do this. Cut the fat out of the body. Come on naturally.

Really feel it in the chest. That’s it two more. Let’s take it up overhead. A little ones can do it. Come on. You will have more energy, more stamina. With this, I promise you’ll lose inches. Good. Last one. Okay. Bring it down. TRICEP toners. My favorite one. Get rid of the flab behind the arm. Go from flabby to fit at any age. Yes, you can. I promise you. Burn those arms, sexy arms, target tone them. That’s it. Two more. Last one. Okay. Little kicks in front, just little. Start small. That’s it. Take a breather. Reach, reach. That’s it think about good posture here. Dancing, Rockettes, smile. You’re burning fat. You’ll look awesome. I promise. Igniting that metabolism. That’s it. OK, can take a breather and exhale. Now we’re going to put it all together from the very top. Going to have fun. We’re going to start with that.

Walk in front. Okay. Are you ready? Do the best you can do more. Okay, here we go. Ready? Walk it. Good. Tap it. Walk it back and tap it out again. Walk it forward, tap it out, and walk it back and hold it right here for our knee lifts. Really think about those abs. Strongl abs. Yes. We got them. Use Them. That’s it take it forward again, good, and tap, and take it back and tap it out again, and walk it forward, tap it out. Knee lifts. Reach those knees up higher, higher, all the way. That’s it. Two more. Last one. Oh, okay. Take a breather. Inhale and exhale. Let’s tap it out. Tap it out lets work those arms and shake it. Shake it. Good. Booty, come on, shake that booty. You got it. Good. Last one. Tap side. There we go. Tap. Tap. Now in front hips, hips, hips. Great. Shake it. Shake it. Okay. Here we go. And step it. Good. That’s it. Let me see those hips.

Good. Shake that booty. Good. Last one good and inhale, exhale, and let me see those arms. Come on, pump it. You can do it. Keep it going. Okay. Keep on moving. You can do it. That’s it. Feel like you’re training for an athletic event. That’s right. Train like an athlete. Come on, here we go. We’re going to scoop it forward. Are you ready? And scoop it forward. That’s it. Scoop back and then stretch back. Here you go. Good. I can. Forward forward. Have Fun. bring it back t. Now. Scooch it. Forward forward. Good. Forward. That’s it. Use your arms. That’s it. And scoot back now. Higher. You Go. The more calories you burn. Good. And scooch it back and down. Pump those arms. Let’s get ready some heel digs. Are you ready? Let’s go. Here we go. heel digs. Shift your weight back a little Feel it through the butt. That’s it. Good, ready and side to side that’s it. Little pendulum. Hold it and hold it heel, heel Stephanie back there’s going to do a little easier for those of you at home. She wants to do it a little easier. That’s okay. That’s it. Good. Last one. Okay. March. Good. Take a nice deep breath. Inhale and exhale. Good. Scooch it forward again from the very top. Here we go. Ready? Let’s go. Scoot and scoot back and scoot. Pump it out.

That’s it. Scooch it back. Let’s get going. One more. Real big and Scooch it back. And heels. Heels. That’s it. Ready? Here we go. Out Our hold here. That’s wonderful. That’s good. Hold it right here. Let me see those beautiful biceps. Okay. March it. That’s it. Okay. Now it’s time to really work those legs. So turn to the side. Jump a little really fun with one of my favorites. Are you ready yet? Stop. Kick. Really kick those legs. Trying to get high and get lower. That’s it. One more. Go and jump rope to the other side. Hold it in. Are you ready? And pull them. Kick.

Push those legs. That high level. Last one, let’s go. To the other side. There we go. That’s it. Really good job to the other side. Hold it in and step kick. Step kick good. Here we go. And step kick jump it out you did great ok ready walk it lets get moving. Are you ready? Get all into it. Come on, pump those arms. Really pump it. Power. Walking right there. Good. Really feel it. Really use your legs. Use your arms. That’s it. Okay. We’re going to add something over here now. Hold it right here. And march two, three. Go pump it good and march it. That’s great. Pump it and march it. Good and march again.

March. Go One more. Really try your best. Good. Now. Hold it here and move. Move, move. Now let’s get the shoulders going. Yet. Sexy shoulders. You got. Beautiful. Now we’re going to put it all together. And walking. Walking, walking again. Pump it and march it lifting your shoulders come on shoulders, good. Go, go, go. And hold it right here. Out here. Good and sweet. That’s it. Good. Good. Rest of the arms. Here we go. Great. That’s it. Good. Now change it up for the legs. Here we go. Press. Good. Heel to the buttocks. Downspout shaping the lower half. Making it your better half.

Now we’re going to combine those two. Here we go. And good. Good and heals. That’s it again. That’s it. Beautiful dresses and press, press, press, press heel. Great. Last set, really press those arms. Chest, shoulders, sexy. Great. press. Beautiful biceps. Hold it right here. Hold it, right. That’s good. Ready to go. Side to side. And. And so this is like your skiing getting prepared to ski. That’s it. Do this. Come on. Really Challenge your body to shape it. To change it. Good. That’s one. Just release. Take a breather. Inhale. We have put all of those together. Now those two. Here we go. Are you ready four easy four hard? Let’s go. One, two, three hard. Go up up that’s a good jump. Ski. Ski, ski. Okay. You did great. That’s a good one. Okay. Are you ready? I’m going to give you all of my favorites. Now. Here we go. Starting with the scoots because, you know, I love those. Ready? Scoot. Scoot. Scoot you back and Scooch back again. Go pump your arms. That’s it. And let’s go for those heels. Heel and heel. And lets go for that pendulum. Good side, side, side, side. hold. That’s great to the other leg. Heel.

That’s great. Two more. That’s it. Side side, side hold. You got it. Okay. That’s it. Relax. Inhale. And exhale. Okay. Are you ready to give it all you got? Here we go. Ready for our scoots. Here we go. On three, two, one. Go to. Scooch it back again. Forward. Good two back. Heel, heel, heel, heel get low. Get Low and pendulum. out out out and hold out hold and heel get down. Get low, get it into the hips, thighs, and buttocks. That’s side side hold, side side hold. It was really great work. I’m proud of you. You did it. You did it.

Now’s.our cool down? Taking a nice deep cleansing breath. Inhale, exhale out. Any stress, bring in that energy. You did it. I’m proud of you, and exhale out any stress and let’s stretch out that low back. It worked. Every major muscle group in your whole body. Congratulations. You deserve a big hand. Okay, let’s you walk out to the side. Just relax and walk it. Good. And just turn the arm if you want to really feel it. Good. Just a couple more to cool down that body. That’s it. Last one. Good. And just hold it here. And reach and reach. Sway through the body. Stretching the low spine. That’s it, the waistline. You should feel self accomplishment. That’s right. You overcame procrastination. You did the workout. Now we’re stretching and pulling down the best part of fall, last one, reach and reach and reach. And that’s it. Two more. Last one hold the calve muscle stretch. Press that heel down. If you can hold that stretch chest as abs are pulled up in the air and now slowly bend slightly forward. Now we’re doing a wonderful hip flexor stretch squeeze the buttocks. Hold it there. Feel the difference and slowly come up and sway to the other side and reach. Reach reach great for the upper back and reach all the way up and down and down. You’re doing it. That’s it. Stretching the body. Wonderful for the muscles after the workout and just hold it there. Now all the calf muscle stretch. Hold it there. Really feel it. Stretch a cord. If you don’t feel it, go a little deeper into the stretch. Your body’s all warm ready to increase the flexibility. Now you’re able to do really good yet flexor stretch. That’s it. Hold that stretch, hold it, hold it, hold it, and release.

Come all the way up and let stretch through the quads. Hold that balance pose. Suck in the gut. Hold it balanced core, that’s it, and bringing in front to balance and hold it through the abs. That’s a stretch to the back of your thighs and that switch to the other leg. Lift up first for the quad stretch. Hold it. That’s it. That’s great.And bring your knee into your chest. Hold it up, right feel it through the buttocks and release. Now let’s stretch the inner thighs all the way down that stretch turn to the side. Wonderful stretch. We worked them today and to the other side. Reach and hold. Breathe deeply, little closer to that. Stretch it and flat back feeling the stretch in the hamstrings flat back is your tummy tight flat back. That’s it. And reach both hands to the floor. If you can straighten out those arms, straighten out the legs.

If not, keep your knees slightly bent to protect your back. If you’re inflexible in the thighs and slowly walk your hands together, we’ll walk your feet together and round your back and slowly roll up, stretching through the low spine. Take a nice deep breath. Inhale and exhale out to the side, stretching through the waistline, open up through the shoulders. Look up to the ceiling. If you can, squeezing your bottom, your tushy, tightening that tushie and lift up. Inhale and exhale to the other side, feeling fit, feeling flexible. Total body workout. Look up to the ceiling.Feel it in that extra stretch through the rib cage and open up your arms. That’s it. Feel the stretch and stretch through the chest. Clasp your hands behind you. Lift your chest up and squeeze the buttocks. That’s it open up through the chest. It’s such a good stretch. Relax the shoulder blades. That’s it, and then circle back. Just reduce any tension in your shoulders. You did it. I’m so proud of you. Take a deep cleansing breath. One more bring in that oxygen and let it out. Congratulations. We did it! We did it! Yay. Congratulations.

Video Transcript: 8-Minute Low-Impact Interval Training Workout
Welcome to your eight-minute low-intensity interval training! So let’s begin starting with a wonderful warmup, dynamic stretching to get your blood circulating. Get the oxygen to every cell in your body. Feeling good. Everything will be low impact, low intensity, easy on the joints, but we’ll keep burning fat. We’ll tone some muscle and keep you moving. That’s the whole key with low intensity interval training. Good. Now we’re going to twist it out. Stretch. It really feel that reach the more you feel it, the better it is for your muscles, your muscles work miracles on your body. So we have to keep those muscles toned, keeps muscles looking better. Also keeps your energy. Now you have over 640 muscles, okay, we’re going to work them all today, low intensity. So it means go low, get down the more you go up and down, you’re going to feel perfect. That’s it?

Your muscles working your thighs right now. The arms, everything is a flow, movement. Take it forward, take it back good forward and back. That’s it. You’re doing great. Keep moving. That’s the whole key to burn calories. Burn that fat – Burn that butter. That’s it two more.  Bicep curls and press your triceps. Take it to the other side, triceps and biceps, interval training right now. You got it. Good. Work those muscles. Excellent. See those beautiful biceps. Come on, use them or you lose them. And we need them. They burn calories fast. They keep us young muscles, last one, one more. Okay? Hold your knees up here. Press the arm down. as the knee goes up very good. This is all low intensity notice. There’s no jumping or jarring, but we keep that metabolism revved up by keeping you moving, your back strong and straight. Pull the elbows down. Keep the core muscles tight. Two more, last one. Oh, okay. Just reach it out and exhale. Now we’re going to do a little bicep curl with the hamstring. Okay. This is working in the back of your thighs and biceps – two workouts in one You can do it. Let me see.

Lets see them! Yes, you got right. You rest, you rust. So let’s go together. Come on, get fit. It’s worth it. Exercise is the best preventative medicine there is. I promise keeps your metabolism going, revved up. Boosted up two more. Last one. Oh, okay. Take a breather. Inhale this one. We’re doing pull inhale. Pull down. Inhale, pull down. This is a lat pull down. That’s it. Interval training muscles in the upper back. That’s it really initiate the movement?  You got this last one. Good. Now it’s time to do our triceps to what I want you to do a heel tap with elbow press behind. That’s a tricep toner with low intensity interval training. If you want, you could always add weights to this workout and really rev up that metabolism. That’s it. Good. Keep it low impact. Get lower. Can you get a little lower down? Yes. There you go. Now you’ll really feel it. Tricep, toners. Stretch it back. We got two more. Last one. Keep tapping now. Hold it up. Marching place, press little baby  presses up. Come on. Work at the posture. We’ve got the back muscles. We got it. Presses. Keep walking, keep marching. You can do it two more. Last one. Oh, okay. Let’s tap it behind now. Little taps behind you got this, hold your upper back muscles posture. And we’re pulling motion no more bra overhang out and pull, pull, pull, pull back, holding a pull.

Shake it out inhale and exhale. There you go. Let’s do a side tap. That’s it. So just like a jumping Jack, but a side tap it’s a little easier on the body and the joints. It’s a modified jumping Jack. Good up lift up and down. That’s it. beautiful. You, you can do it. Just keep moving. We’re burning fat. We’re burning calories. You’re firming muscle. Interval training.  Two more last one. Okay. Take it back now. Hold it back here. Lift your arms and back. Great for your upper back. Don’t worry. Back back. Good to keep your legs going. That’s where you’re getting the cardio up a little. Back straight. You can do it. Good tow more, last one chest presses. Good push, push, push, push, push, push. That brings the chest to improve – we must we Must we must improve our bust! Lift it naturally. Yes. That’s what I’m all about. Also improves your posture. Good. Two more push harder. Last one. Oh, okay. Take a breather side to side again.

The cool down stretch your arms salute as you take it down. Take it easy. Just stretch it out. Doing great. Excellent. One more time together. Exhale. Beautiful. And there you did a great low intensity interval training workout. Thanks for working it out with me. If you love this workout, I have so much more at DeniseAustin.com. Try my free trial you get to do all kinds of different workouts and recipes, eating plans. You will love it. All you have to do is visit Deniseaustin.com – Sign up for your free trial now!

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