Gabrielle Union Uses Consistency, Accountability, and Grace to Achieve Her Fitness Goals
Finding alternative ways to move your body when in lockdown, and ways to stay motivated to do so during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, isn't always easy, especially for working mothers who have been disproportionately impacted by the public health crisis. But staying active isn't just beneficial for your physical health. It's imperative for your mental health as well, and that's why Gabrielle Union's fitness routine is one of her top priorities.
"For me, at-home fitness is the new normal," Union tells Woman's Day. Luckily, adjusting to that "new normal" has been made easier for her with the help of FitOn. FitOn is a free digital fitness app that offers everything from meditation exercises to HIIT workouts, and as a FitOn ambassador, Union teaches exclusive classes on the app alongside her husband, former NBA star Dwyane Wade.
What Union loves about the app is that it offers so much more than just free, accessible classes. "FitOn helps me stay motivated and keep track of my goals with its monthly challenges and daily motivation reminders," she explains. Along with fitness classes, FitOn also has a ton of healthy recipes, including a few recipes contributed by Union herself.
The actress, author, and activist has especially loved participating in the 2021 FitOn RESET Challenge. "It's a great way to leave 2020 behind and kick off the new year," she adds.
Going into the new year, Union and her family made a pledge to remain more consistent in everything they do. "Throughout 2020, we would have lots of stops and starts, where we would be super into fitness and wellness, and then just nothing," she says.
To help establish a consistent routine, Union notes it's important to "give yourself a little grace," adding that it might not be beneficial to "go full Rambo to kick it off and then taper off."
"Just do a little bit every day," she suggests. "For us, consistency is key."
And even though she and Wade don't have the exact same fitness goals, they find it helpful to work out together. "We like to get up together before the kids are up at, like, 6 a.m., and we train together in our home gym," she explains. "And we enjoy it and push each other to stay consistent and stay on top of it."
Of course, you don't need your own home gym to stay active. Working out together is what motivated Union and Wade to release their quarantine workout series on FitOn, which incorporates household items in place of traditional fitness equipment, like water bottles instead of dumbbells.
Union has also found that writing down her fitness and wellness goals helps her to stay motivated. One of the ways she keeps track of her goals is with a vision board. "Every year on New Year's Eve, we do vision boarding as a family and set our intentions," she says. "Some people pray over their vision boards, some people meditate, some people just look at it, but it can really help you manifest your dreams."
Whether your 2021 resolutions involve your fitness routine, your finances, your relationships, or your career, Union says manifesting those dreams involves a combination of consistency and accountability.
"It's not enough to just say what you want," Union stresses. "You have to take active steps to get there, while at the same time giving yourself some grace. That active step towards your dream might just be getting out of bed and brushing your teeth." Above all, she says, be kind to yourself. "You don't have to have massive, save-the-world type goals," she adds.
If your goals for 2021 and beyond do involve health and wellness, then the FitOn app may just be able to help. For something a little extra, use the code "FITPRO" to get a complimentary year of FitOn PRO, which offers access to personalized meal plans, exclusive recipes, unlimited offline downloads, premium music, group video calls with friends, real-time heart rate, and more.
Subscribe to Woman's Day today and get 73% off your first 12 issues. And while you’re at it, sign up for our FREE newsletter for even more of the Woman's Day content you want.
You Might Also Like
