Jul 18, 2012 / General Advice & Pro Tips

Focus On: Health & Fitness Blogs

Image via Flickr user The Library of Congress

Most of us could stand to exercise more (or at all) and health and fitness blogs are beloved by those who are seeking to make a lifestyle change. It’s easier to stick to a new routine if you’re not doing it alone, and fitness blogs are great sources of inspiration and information. If you’re going to blog about fitness, here are some tips for how to do it well:

  • Set a goal. Tangible goals make sticking to a new routine easier – and they also make blogging about it more interesting. If you have a wedding on the horizon or you’ve signed up for a 5k, that sense of immediacy will give direction to your workouts and your posts. (Try using the milestone widget to highlight the countdown in your sidebar.)
  • Identify a personal challenge. What lifestyle change would you like to make that’s really difficult for you? Giving up meat? Quitting smoking? Getting up early to exercise? If you write honestly about your struggle, others will relate and will be inspired by your progress.
  • Find a new approach. Has getting a new puppy made staying in shape easier? Did a midnight run get you over your plateau? If you’ve discovered a fun and unexpected way to get in shape, let us know!
  • Read up and inform. There’s a ton of contradictory health information out there. Should we eat lots of whole grains, or avoid all carbs? Is too much salt killing us, or is it fine? Stretch before a work out, or after? Help your readers make sense of all this at the same time as you’re figuring it out yourself.
  • Provide practical advice. If you bike to work, how do you manage business attire in the bike lane? If you go to the gym every night, do you take your kids with you? How do you also fit in making dinner? If you have helpful tips or strategies for how to fit working out and eating right into a busy lifestyle, let’s hear them!
  • Admit your lapses. Did you spend two weeks watching Mad Men on Netflix instead of taking evening walks? Did you eat an entire cake on your birthday? Did you injure yourself when you knew better? We’re all human, and revealing your own missteps can remind you and your readers that being healthier is an ongoing process.

Are you an active and healthy person, or are you trying to be? Would you ever blog about your fitness routine?

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  6. Agree on the importance of practical advice! My two cents: The practical tips should also feel fresh– which can be a challenge for topics related to health and fitness.
    Denise, alternahealthgrrrl.com

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  8. at last!!!! revelations from above that are consistent and fascinating!!!! thank you!!!!!!

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  15. Reblogged this on 55 US and commented:
    This is great advice. I especially like the short term goals. You can fool yourself into thinking that this exercise endeavor is a short term project. Then once you reach that goal, set a new one!

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  17. What a great idea cos honestly, I don’t exercise at all even though am a health personelle with a tight schedule I always know I should be exercising but with this post INSHALLAH, I ll make it a duty

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  19. Great ideas for creating a healthy lifestyle!  Am going to share with my husband who is in a 16 week weightless challenge!  These tips will SURELY help him succeed!  Read about his efforts at http://hebslimdown.wordpress.com/author/greggsdsd/

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  21. Thanks so much for the link! I tend to think of biking as a lifestyle thing, not a fitness thing, but it’s undeniable that I’m in MUCH better shape since I started bike commuting.

    I hate working out for the sole sake of working out – it either has to be part of socializing (i.e. casual ultimate frisbee league) or transportation (biking or walking). Still can’t figure out why a good friend drives to the gym to pay for parking to ride a stationary bike, but it’s working for him. Perhaps the sauna has something to do with it. Find the exercise that works for YOU and your own tendencies.

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  22. If you’re having problems putting on or losing weight, I advise you to do a bit of research into how energy is used by your body. I wrote an article a while back on the three sources of fuel that your body uses. It’s a bit long so you can just skim to the bits you need. I’ve helped dozens of people put on muscle and lose weight. I’m not claiming to be a miracle worker, just telling you the science behind how weight gain/loss works.

    Nutrition and Exercise – Info to Get You Over Your Big Fat Excuses

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