Wednesday, September 26^th, is National Women’s Health and Fitness Day and women everywhere should be celebrating! Held every year on the last Wednesday of September, this is a day where over 500 groups across the country host health and fitness events for local women in honor of the holiday. National Women’s Health and Fitness Day is the perfect excuse to try new things and develop that healthy lifestyle you’ve been striving for!

This is a great day to drop in on a fitness class at your local gym! Look into your gym’s fitness schedule—they may even be offering free classes for the holiday.  Try out a class you’ve always been curious about and you might be pleasantly surprised. Breaking out of your comfort zone from your regular fitness routine can be refreshing and empowering to your mind and body. Maybe it’s spin, Zumba, or yoga that you fall in love with; whatever it is, having a class that you enjoy and go to regularly can improve your overall health and encourage other healthy habits!

Get your whole family involved in the Health and Fitness Day fun! Go for a walk or bike ride and enjoy the crisp fall air—your kids will love spending time outdoors while doing an activity you all can enjoy together. If your kids have a favorite sport, take them to the local soccer field or basketball court and play a pickup game. This is also a good way to teach your kids about staying healthy and instilling life-long habits. Teaching your kids at a young age how important health and fitness is will encourage them to continue their routines into adulthood.

Take some time to learn more about nutrition and healthy foods that will give your body plenty of energy to support your active lifestyle. You could enroll in a nutritional cooking class where you learn about different foods and how they affect your body and how to prepare tasty and healthy meals! If you’re more of a self-taught person, invest in some nutrition books that you can read in your spare time! Nutritious meals will make you happier, more energized, and decrease your risk of many diseases and illnesses.

Health and fitness isn’t just about a healthy body, it’s about a healthy mind. You should develop your own form of meditation to clear your mind and relax. Whether you practice structured meditation, or open your Bi-Fold Patio Doors and relax in the porch swing, or sit on the beach listening to the crashing waves—anything works as long as it’s a relaxing time where you gather your thoughts and become Zen.

You’ve heard it before and we’ll say it again, water and sleep are so incredibly important to your overall health that you can’t live without either! Drink plenty of water every day to stay hydrated. Water has so many health benefits including: increased energy, weight loss and weight management, stronger immune system, headache prevention, and sprain and cramp prevention—not to mention it’s delicious and the only beverage that truly quenches your thirst! Quality and amount of sleep are paramount to your health and wellness; fortunately, healthy meals and moderate exercise increase your quality of sleep, so you are well on your way (if you’re not there already) to a great night’s sleep!

What better day to begin a new healthy habit than Wednesday, September 26^th, National Women’s Health and Fitness Day!