It’s the start of a new year, which means you might have a set of brand new goals. Luckily, you live in the perfect place to achieve them on your path to becoming the best version of yourself. This year, your focus might be on health.
There are so many things that go into maintaining your health – physically, mentally, and even spiritually if you so choose.
Here are a few ways you can get started on your journey right in your backyard:
Take A Walk:
Spending some time outdoors is a great way to clear your mind and achieve that refreshed feeling. It’s even better if you can do that while getting some steps in and taking in great views. Walking Trails in The Villages, Florida offers all those things. This year, take some time to go explore the trails and pathways you see on
this map.
Want to kill two birds with one stone? Invite some friends, pack a picnic and enjoy some quality time reconnecting with others.
Find New Ways to Move
Maybe your goals are more focused on your physical health this year, and you want to take exercise a step farther than the walking trails. Good for you! There are some fun and unique ways to break a sweat in The Villages, Florida. If you’re sick of doing the same old thing to burn calories and build strength, try mixing it up by taking a class at MVP Athletic Club. With multiple locations, it’s always convenient to get your workout in for the day. According to Thevillages.com, a membership at MVP Athletic Club allows you to choose from more than 1,000 monthly group exercise classes. If group training isn’t your thing, get connected with a personal trainer and take advantage of the impressive cardio and strength training equipment on your own time. The best part: If you start to lose sight of those new year resolutions, the club’s activity rewards program will keep you motivated and on track to meet your fitness goals.
Looking for a totally unique exercise experience? Try cardio drumming. And yes, it looks just as fun as it sounds. Enjoy some music and get your heart rate up by using drumsticks to hit an exercise ball in a bucket. Participants also get to sharpen their minds during class by remembering the moves to each song. Check out
this calendar to find out when and where you can take a class.
Eat Right
Healthy eating is easy when you live in a place with as many dining options as The Villages, Florida. You can simply choose from any of the lighter options at the countless nationally known or locally-owned restaurants, or even the country clubs, you’ll find throughout the area. But if you really want to commit to cleaner eating that’s locally sourced – supporting your local farmers is always a plus! – The Villages Grown is making it easy to do that.
According to The Villages, Florida
YouTube page, The Villages Grown was “born out of a desire to provide Villagers and the surrounding community with fresh, nutrient-dense food to support healthy, active lifestyles.” It does just that by offering colorful fruits, nutritious fruits, veggies, and other healthy items at a permanent and mobile market. The markets are a one-stop-shop, also offering eggs, bread, rice, fermented products, and more, all of which come from The Villages Grown farm and other local farms and artisans in the community, according to
Thevillages.com. The permanent market is open daily but if that’s not a convenient enough option to get your next fix of vitamin-packed greens,
here’s when and where you can find the mobile market.
Relax and Recharge
You’re working nonstop to meet your goals, which is why it’s so important to make time for rest and relaxation. Plus, with all the hard work you’ve been putting in, you deserve a little pampering. Clear your calendar for a day at the spa. And we know just the one: Remember that place you’re planning to try a new workout class? MVP Athletic Club? Well,
MVP also offers spa service. Book a therapeutic massage to help your muscles recover from all the new movements they’ve been trying, or book a facial just because. You can also make a spa day out of a visit to
Hand and Stone or
Massage Envy. Just a few hours of R&R will have you feeling like your best self again, ready to resume putting in the hard work.
Focus on the Rest of You
When we talk about taking care of ourselves, we need to remember to take care of our whole selves, meaning mind, body, and soul. You’ve mastered the “body” part by now, with healthier eating, a more active lifestyle, and those scheduled spa days here and there, but now it’s time to focus on the soul. For some, that means spending time reconnecting with yourself, maybe through yoga or meditation classes, both of which you can regularly attend in The Villages, Florida. For extroverts, taking care of the soul means meeting new people and connecting with others, perhaps through social clubs. Again – because it truly is home to everything – those can also be found in The Villages, Florida. Just search the community calendar, linked above, to find out when and where they’re having scheduled meetups. And finally, taking care of the soul might mean connecting with a higher power, possibly through a church or other house of worship. And there are plenty of those to choose from right here at home. Click here to find one that best suits your beliefs.
Good luck crushing those goals throughout the rest of the year. You’re already off to a great start. Remember, you have all the resources you need to be the best you right here at home.
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