Is getting back in shape one of your New Years Resolutions? Feeling bloated from all those holiday meals? Here are some ways to ease into exercise and smash your New Years goals!

If you’re like me, then you know you need to exercise, but you don’t always feel like doing it. Here’s the thing though, the less activity you do, the less you feel like doing any activity!

It’s a vicious cycle that can easily cause your weight loss efforts to fail. Personally, I feel like the best way to solve a problem is to remove barriers to getting started. So today we’re talking about ways to get your body moving and where you can find guidance for getting more active around Lake Hartwell.

Easy Walking Trails Near Lake Hartwell

We’re blessed to live in a location with pleasant weather for most of the year. And getting out and taking a walk is the simplest (and not to mention cheap) activity you can do to start to be more active.

Did you know there are several miles of hiking and walking trails near Lake Hartwell? You won’t have to go far to get in some exercise. Here are some walking trails nearby:

1. Royston Wellness and Community Park

2. Hartwell: Big Oaks Park Dam Trail | Elberton Highway Park | Botanical Gardens

3. Anderson: Chris Taylor Memorial Park

4. Clemson: Gateway Park

Or, for those who prefer to run, you can join a local Running Group.  The Hart County Running Club has an active membership and Facebook group: HartCoRunningClub.

Gyms With Treadmills

Of course, if you’d rather walk in the comfort of air conditioning, you can always walk on a treadmill at a nearby gym. Here are a few gym facilities near Lake Hartwell.

1. Hartwell: Bell Family YMCA | Total Body Fitness

2. Royston: Snap Fitness

3. Toccoa: Owen’s Gym | Planet Fitness

4. Clemson: Orangetheory | Golds Gym | Anytime Fitness

5. Anderson: 10 Star Fitness |Planet Fitness | Golds Gym

If you prefer to work out in a woman’s only gym, well, there is even one of those.  The Physique Boutique in downtown Hartwell, just of the square, is now open for Woman’s workouts and group exercise.

Gentle Strength Training With Yoga

Yoga is one of the most relaxing exercises that you can do. Beginner’s classes are easy to follow and won’t make you feel like you’re out of place. The spirit of yoga is all about self-care, so you should never feel self-conscious at your yoga studio.

You can definitely find plenty of free yoga instruction on YouTube, but if you know you’d benefit from taking an in person class, check out these local yoga studios.

1. Hartwell: Empower Yoga | Lake Hartwell SUP Yoga (stand up paddleboard yoga)

2. Lavonia: Lake Hartwell Yoga

3. Clemson: Solshine Wellness Studio | Clemson Fitness Studio |

4. Anderson: Anderson Yoga Center | 10 Star Fitness

Disc-Golf

Part walking, part playing frisbee, disc golf is a great way to get your body moving. Go with a couple of friends to make a competition out of it. Maybe even throw in a few sprints to really get some cardio benefit.

1. Royston: Wellness And Community Park

2. Clemson: Grand Central Station | Mountain View Park

3. Seneca: Shaver Rec Center

4. Anderson: Anderson University | Darwin Wright Park | The Trails DGC | Kid Venture

It’s Not Exercise, It’s Dancing

Maybe you’re the type who needs a more upbeat environment. Doing some dancing classes can be intimidating at first, but just know that everyone bumbles around the fancy footwork in their first class.

Stick with it and you’ll be giggling while your booty is jiggling and burning tons of calories to boot! Here are some locations that offer Zumba or dance classes.

1. Hartwell: Bell Family YMCA Zumba

2. Toccoa: GymNation Zumba

3. Seneca: Gunz And Bunz Zumba

4. Clemson: Jazzercise Fitness Center

5. Anderson: 10 Star Fitness Zumba

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Of course, we have to end with some water activities on Lake Hartwell. When the weather allows it, paddleboarding can be a fun way to strengthen your core. Whether you’re lucky enough to live on the lake or you get access at one of the many public beaches, 30 minutes of paddleboarding is a surprisingly tough yet relaxing workout.

1. Lake Hartwell Paddleboard and Kayak

2. Upstate Paddleboard

Get A Sitting Workout With Kayaking

Even though you’re sitting down, you’ll get a great workout when kayaking. Work your arms and your core, plus hauling your kayak to and from the water totally counts as part of your workout. Just make sure you’re protecting your skin out on the lake!

Here are some kayaking resources near Lake Hartwell.

1. Lake Hartwell Paddleboard and Kayak

2. Southern Appalachian Outdoors

How To Stick With Your New Workout Routine

It’s not hard to get in a workout every once in a while, but the trick is to make it a routine. Here are some ways to help you stick to your new healthy activity.

1. Have a friend commit to going with you

2. Make your own epic workout playlist to listen to on your AirPods

3. Choose activities that you truly enjoy doing

4. Find a location and time that is convenient for you

5. Use our daily habit tracker to record your progress

6. Don’t give up if you miss a day or two or three – get back into it as soon as you can!