Start Off on the Right Foot: New Year Fitness Tips

Alexandra Balgos
Photo: Woman running

Happy new decade! Fitness tends to be a hot topic during this time of year. Did you know that the two most popular New Year’s resolutions are to exercise and lose weight? People who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight are at far less of a risk for developing chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

Here are a few tips from our in-house Exercise Physiologist for achieving your fitness goals this year:

  • Stay hydrated. Water helps every system in the body function properly. Dehydration results in feeling fatigued during workouts and can negatively affect blood pressure & heart rate during your exercise session. The hydration recommendation for the average adult is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.
  • Stand more! Standing burns anywhere from 100-200 calories an hour.  Sitting by comparison, only burns 60-130 calories an hour. That adds up quickly! You could burn anywhere from 120-210 more calories just by swapping three hours of sitting for standing.
  • Remember that taking one or two days off will not derail your fitness progress. Being kind to yourself and listening to your body will help sustain your success.

Whatever your resolutions may be, now is a wonderful time to get started on creating that positive change. Wishing you health, happiness, and success in 2020.


The ‘Ekahi Ornish Program was offered by ‘Ekahi Health—which provides comprehensive community-based care focusing on primary care and prevention and wellness. Learn more about the ‘Ekahi Wellness Program