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If fitness goals are at the top of your New Year's resolution list, Ally Love has a few tips to set you up for success in 2024.
And when it comes to committing to and sticking with a fitness routine, what you don’t do is just as important, she said.
The TODAY contributor stopped by Studio 1A on Thursday to break down the five things she would never do as a fitness expert — and some of them may surprise you.
Never skip a warmup
Whether you love to work out or just want to get it over with, many of us are guilty of skipping our warmup. But Love said that's a big no-no.
"Most of us say, 'I don't have time. I just wanna get to my workout.' But you never wanna skip a warmup. Why? You wanna heat up the core temperature, get the heart pumping, get the blood flowing so it lubricates the joints and allows the muscle to receive the impact that's about to happen," she explained.
Most importantly, a quick warmup can also prevent injury. "No one wants to be injured at the top of the year or ever for that matter," she added.
Luckily, your warmup doesn't have to be long. Love said a quick five minutes will get the job done.
Never say 'I don't have enough time'
Love knows a hectic schedule all too well, so she understands why people might be tempted to skip their workout.
"I can say my day gets busy, but we can implement some things that are easy," she said. "A shorter workout is better than a longer worker (and) better than no workout."
Struggling to sneak in a little physical activity? Here are some of Love's go-to suggestions:
- Go on a walk while you're conducting a business call.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Do some planks during the commercial breaks while you're watching TV.
Never do a boring workout
It's easy to get stuck in a rut when exercising, but working up a sweat doesn't have to be tedious.
"Workouts are like relationships. Who wants a boring relationship? Who wants a boring workout? No one," Love said.
Instead of settling for lackluster workouts, the fitness pro encourages everyone to "find your fun" in 2024.
"Find a workout that makes your heart flutter. Now fun is not synonymous with easy. You want something challenging, but something that you talk about to your friends," she said.
Never let your mood affect if you work out
Some days are harder than others, and we're not always in the right frame of mind to exercise. But Love said that working up a sweat is even more important on these occasions.
“I’ve been at Peloton seven years, seven million members. Number one thing that I hear all the time is, ‘I’ve had a bad day. I decided that I was going to take a workout when I didn’t want to and I felt better,’” she explained.
Lesson learned? Sometimes it's worth pushing past your bad mood to reap the fitness benefits.
Never compare your fitness journey to others
Everyone's journey is different and some of us meet our fitness goals sooner than others. And that's totally OK.
"Comparison is the thief of joy. We know that. Let's live it this year. Your chapter one, your start, your restart, your re-restart is good enough," Love said. "We’re all on our separate journeys, but we’re doing it together."