As we approach 2014, the traditional new year resolutions are made. Every year, a large portion of new year resolutions revolve around personal fitness goals. Given the fact that nearly 25% of adults in the United States claim they are not physically active at all, setting a personal fitness goal for the new year isn’t such a bad idea. Although many people have the intentions of getting fit during the new year, a strong portion of people will lost interest and fail to achieve their goals. Simply visit the nearby fitness facilities on January 2nd and and notice how busy it is — it won’t be nearly as busy in a couple of months.

The traditional workouts consisting of weight training and running on the treadmills are certainly effective ways to get in shape. However, these workouts can become very repetitive and mundane, which makes them some of most common fitness plans that people struggle to stick with when trying to get in shape. When designing a workout plan, it’s important to involve diverse workout routines that will provide a change of scenery, and keep you from getting bored with your workout routine. Recently, Chinese medicine known as holistic or alternative healing has been practiced more widely throughout Western nations. In fact, 75% of people in emerging nations receive some form of alternative healthcare. Adding these practices to your weekly workout plan is a perfect solution to keep you from losing interest in your personal fitness goals. These healing methods include fitness activities such as yoga, which aim to stretch and strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, muscle growth and evenly distributing energy throughout the body, allowing a person to feel healthier, and become more spiritually grounded.

Yoga has been popular among Americans for decades, and the benefits of yoga are undisputed. Although over 72% of American adults that practice yoga on a regular basis are female, yoga has become more and more popular among males, and is just as beneficial as it is for females. In addition to improving fitness, muscle strength and flexibility, a number of studies have shown that yoga also helps reduce stress and anxiety levels and lower blood pressure. Many styles and forms of yoga exist; in particular, Hatha yoga is one of the most common styles of yoga and is perfect for beginners, due to its slower pace and easier movements. Most people can benefit from any style of yoga — it’s all about your personal preferences and comfort levels. Find more on this topic here.