Get a Jumpstart on New Year’s Resolutions

Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail

Whether your New Year’s resolutions involve getting active, eating right, de-cluttering, guilt-free shopping, or saving a little money, we’ve got you covered with a few ideas and mentions to kick off 2012. Many larger gyms around town are also offering membership savings for the new year as well.

Sometimes even just changing up your normal workout routine can give you more results.  The Bar Method Austin on West Fifth Street creates a sculpts bodies and elongates muscles by blending isometrics, dance conditioning, and physical therapy. Ask about their new client special.

One of Austin’s favorite green trainers, urban animal, has recently merged with Dynamax Training to incorporate medicine balls into their workouts. Partner-based Velocity Boot Camp offers fast-paced workouts with killer results. For the duration of a month, Phase Ten Training will use a scaled sequence of programs, drills, and medicine ball work. Both classes are offered at multiple locations.

Another local favorite, with it’s donation-based classes, Black Swan Yoga features heated yoga with their Sweaty Yoga and more advanced Power Yoga. Don’t worry, beginners can still take Vinyasa classes. Bring your own mat or rent one for a $2 donation. You might want to bring a towel as well if you take a heater class!

Remember, you can always get in shape on a budget. Take a stroll, jog, run, or bike ride around Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail featured above. There are 3, 4.5, 5, 7, and 10.3 mile loops that span the picturesque Barton Creek area to Austin’s downtown, all surrounding the lake. Just gorgeous!

Another free way to work out is just by cleaning up! Try de-cluttering and some other housework to burn up to an extra 170 calories on average.

For many people, eating right with little time or while on the go can be tough. Ditch the fast food and opt for some nutritionally balanced take-out from My Fit Foods, Mel’s Meals, or Snap Kitchen. Click for locations and ask about vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Many offer delivery options as well.

For tons of delivery options, check out Greenling for local food and organic products from Central Texas. Save money, gas, and time with their free delivery. You can even get a profile of all of their farmers.

Engage in some guilt-free shopping with new fair-trade accessory line from Ghana, Della. Della helps empower a team of women through education, jobs, and skills training. Instead of buying from China, they use 100% West African textiles to make unique prints that stimulate the local economy. All items are signed by the women that made it.

Saving money can also help out in the new year. Find a large jar or container and start putting your spare change away. Don’t be afraid to put a few bills in there. The reward will be taking it to the bank once it fills up.

They say time is money, but sometimes spending a little extra time to look for deals and coupons means not spending a little extra money. If you’re not in a hurry, take your time at the store and peruse the coupon section.

Start the new year right - it’s never too late to make a change! Happy 2012!

Posted by Lucy Kinney

Lucy Kinney has published 128 posts.

Lucy is a writer and publicist in Austin, Texas working in both the state and private sector. Lucy is a native to Austin and enjoys running on Town Lake, yoga, and exploring the hill country when she's not busy working. Lucy is married to local builder, Eden Kinney. She graduated from the University of Texas in 2010 with a B.S. in Public Relations and a Business Foundations Certificate. Her new travel blog can be found at http://lucysdistinctdestinations.wordpress.com/