New Year, New Priorities: Start 2020 with Fitness, Self-Care, and Style!

Happy New Year! This is a time for seeing friends, toasting to the future, maybe even starting 2020 off with a kiss? No matter how you celebrate the New Year and who you celebrate it with, there's a palpable sense of hope and change when the clock strikes midnight on January 1^st. Many of us use this time to set an intention for the new year - that is, a new year resolution. Fitness resolutions like losing weight, starting a new exercise routine, and seeing a personal trainer for a certain number of days a week are common - but here at Leonisa, we believe the most important new year resolution should be self-care.

A good fitness routine can help you in ways other than muscle building and weight loss. Regular exercise can help with reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and boosting your immune system. It can even improve your mental health! Mind and body are both important - don't forget to practice self-care above all else. Although it can be helpful to have goals, it's more important to focus on how you feel while you're moving your body.  When you enjoy exercising, it will feel less like work and more like play. If you're not having fun, change activities - don't force it. Try every activity and fitness class you can until you find something that feels right.

If you're looking to begin a health and fitness program this year, the most important thing is to start small. Taking a walk around the neighborhood is a good place to start, and perhaps you can even encourage your friends to get out there with you. You can try to make healthier eating choices, but start small with those, too! You might even consider buying a gym membership. Many gyms offer one free personal training session - be sure to ask about that when you go to sign up! Personal trainers can help you figure out what you want to achieve through your workouts and encourage you to try new activities.

Many people lose sight of their new years' resolutions throughout the year. Although we start out with the best intentions and a drive to improve ourselves, sometimes life gets in the way. It's hard to stay motivated when you have other obligations and more fun things to do than work out. That's why the emphasis on self-care is so important: if you work out because you enjoy it, rather than to reach a goal, you'll be more likely to stay on top of your new healthy lifestyle. That's not to say that all goals are bad, but if you fall short on one, please don't be discouraged!

One underrated way to stay motivated is by treating yourself to cute activewear. Our philosophy is:

When you look great, you feel great. When you feel great, you can accomplish anything and everything.

We believe this is true in every aspect of life, and it's especially true at the gym (or studio, or park - wherever you feel drawn to exercise).

Yoga pants and yoga leggings have been all the rage over the last few years. This athleisure staple is perfect to wear to the gym, to work, or out on the town. The very definition of "look great, feel great", these workout pants are an exceptional way to feel awesome and look even better. Plus, they're versatile: pair them with your favorite sports bras and workout tops at the gym or wear them with long shirts, dresses, and tunics for daily style.

The right workout clothes can give you a boost of confidence and inspiration, plus our ActiveLife activewear pieces have built-in benefits to help improve your performance!  When it comes to activewear leggings, we've got you covered (literally). Our workout leggings have a high waist for a flattering fit, plus they're made of our trademark compression fabrics. Compression garments have been shown to keep muscles warm and prevent chafing, and they can even help relieve muscle soreness!

So when you're caught up in the New Year hype, don't forget to invest in some activewear you'll feel great about wearing! We hope 2020 is the year when your dreams come true and that you achieve great things. Most importantly, we hope you put self-care first in the new year. You deserve it!

Are you planning to start a self-improvement journey in 2020? Tell us about it down below!