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Jersey, you’re no quitter! 5 tricks for keeping fitness resolutionsin NJ

Erin Vogt

With 2016’s first week halfway done, the New Year’s resolution bandwagon is emptying fast — but hang in there, Jersey folk! The

Garden State is an ideal place to “Shore up” any intentions to be more active and make time for exercise.

For some, the motivation is enjoying our beautiful beaches and parks. Others may be drawn to affordable indoor and group options

that abound in our health-conscious hometowns. Here’s some Jersey-grown tips for staying the fitness course — or getting back

on-track.

Jersey Shore (Toniann Antonelli, NJ 101.5)

1) Tweak your mindset To “Local Winter.” Now that the windchill has set in, it can be tougher to leave the comforts of home for that

brisk jog, walk or bike ride. Think of this as crucial “local time” to get out on the boardwalks and beaches before the summer crush of

tourists. Need inspiration for a winter stroll? Island Beach State Park recently was dubbed Jersey’s “most Instagrammed” spot.

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Thinkstock

Take a guided hike in one of Jersey’s many state parks (Round Valley, Erin Vogt, Townsquare Media)

2) Seek out some homegrown support. Sign up for a guided hike through some of Jersey’s state parks. If running is your thing,

was your thing, or you now want it to be- join a club to get motivated. NJShoreRun, Raritan Valley Road Runners and South

Jersey Athletic Club are just a few. There are plenty more to pick from.

If classes or groups help motivate you, there’s lots of free chances across NJ (Thinkstock)

3) Freebies are your friend. If indoors is more your speed, Rutgers is offering free fitness classes through mid-January. There’s

some free yoga sessions at the Center for Health and Healing in Toms River, with encouraged donations to a local food pantry.

4) Make it a family affair. Exploring new

spots can help recharge that fitness

spark. Winter Trails slated for Sunday,

offers a day of outdoor fun in Sussex

County. Take the kids for a stroll in

Historic Mount Holly for the unique Fire

and Ice festival. There’s also Winterfest

in Monmouth County, where you can

check out cross-country skis and wagon

rides.

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Jersey’s mild winter leaves even more fitness possibilities open (YanLev, ThinkStock)

5) Try something new. Grab some (small) wheels and checkout the Skateplex that’s at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park. If you’re

looking for a new spot to bike or canoe, it’s even easier thanks to state Parks staffers. If a road race is on your bucket list, the

Cupid’s Chase 5K is happening next month, at seven spots across New Jersey.

Erin Vogt is a lifelong Jersey Girl, whose first reporting gig involved her Fisher Price tape recorder. As a wife and momma of two

kiddies, she firmly believes that life’s too short to drink bad coffee. A fan of the beach, Dave Grohl and karma, in no particular order.

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