Embracing 2024 with 10 Fun Workouts and Inspiring Creators – A Gourmet Guide to Wellness
Each year brings forth the inevitable question we all ask ourselves and each other: “What’s your New Year’s Resolution?”. Time and time again one of the most recurring and popular resolutions revolves around fitness. Gyms gear up for the influx of enthusiastic resolution-makers, as we embark on a quest to stick to a workout routine. Yet, as the months pass, boredom and frustration often lead to the abandonment of the entire resolution!
This year, let's shift our mindset as we step into 2024. Instead of viewing exercise as a chore, we aim to be grateful for the opportunity to move our bodies, seeking workouts that ignite excitement, motivation, and self-love. The key to success lies in finding a workout you genuinely enjoy, fostering the consistency crucial to a lasting wellness journey.
This year, bypass the fees and gym charges; start your fitness resolution journey here with our curated collection of free resources, unique workouts, and influencers to help you on your way to wellness!
Pilates
The Workout
Pilates has gained a HUGE fan base in the past few years, and it’s easy to see why. With at-home or in-studio options, pilates offers a low-impact yet technical and challenging workout. Pilates encourages core strength and flexibility, which helps you on and off the mat (or reformer).
The Influencer to Follow
Isa Welly (@isawelly) is a UK-based pilates, wellness, and nutrition coach who posts her workouts on YouTube. She radiates positivity and reminds everyone in each video to meet your body where it’s at. Her bubbly personality makes you feel like you’re working out with a friend. She’s an amazing one to follow, not just for her workouts but for her additional tips on diet and wellness.
Where to Start
Check out this 30-minute, positive energy pilates workout from our girl Isa Welly!
Dance
The Workout
We’re headed into 2024 doing the same workouts we were doing in the 70s! Dance workouts haven’t gone away, and there’s a reason for that! Dance workouts are a fun way to get your heart rate up without needing to step foot on a treadmill. With classes appealing to all skill levels, ages, and dance styles, there’s a class out there for everyone!
The Influencer to Follow
Johanna Devries (@growwithjo) has so many fun workouts on her channel, that it’s hard to know where to start! We love her dance workouts, and she has a wide range of music playlists and themes so no matter what you like you can start dancing! Jo is super motivating, positive, and radiates good vibes so if dancing your heart out isn’t already a mood booster, taking one of Jo’s classes will be!
Where to Start
Don’t let the length of this video fool you! It’ll work up a sweat! Start with this fun, 2000’s hits dance workout!
Cozy Cardio
The Workout
A wonderful way to get your steps in and your heart rate up, cozy cardio took over TikTok in 2023, and will likely do it again heading into 2024. Setting the mood is vital to this viral workout, (think scented candles, your favorite TV show, ambient lighting, and even cozy socks!), and then hop on that treadmill or walking pad and walk (or run, if you must).
The Influencer to Follow
Hope Zuckerbrow (@hope_zuckerbrow on TikTok) started this Cozy Cardio trend as a way to better her relationship with working out and to help take the pressure off of exercise and make it something to look forward to. She’s now starting to incorporate more ways to make cozy cardio accessible to her followers.
Where to Start
Watch the original TikTok below, but don't forget to check out Hope’s Cozy Cardio playlist on her TikTok account!
@hope_zuckerbrow cozy cardio🫶🏻 #fyp #cardio #cozy #weightloss #walkingpad
♬ Blue Moon - Muspace Lofi
Jump Rope
The Workout
Flashback to the playground, we know! But jump roping is such a great way to enhance your cardio health and promote coordination on a budget and can be done pretty much anywhere! Start with 10 minutes a day and as you get better, add some fun moves into the mix!
The Influencer to Follow
Lauren Flymen (@lauren.jumps) is a skilled jump roper who posts incredible jump-roping routines that are not only fun to watch but make us want to grab our ropes! She started skipping during the pandemic and shared her progress on Instagram. She has videos on her channel that provide incredible tips on how to get started and how to build upon previous skills.
Where to Start
Lauren has created a playlist on her YouTube for those who may need some guidance on what rope to get, how to safely skip, and where to start. You can find that playlist here:
Hoola Hooping
The Workout
Another one we thought would be left in childhood, but thankfully made its way to be a fun workout to do in 2024! With weighted hoola hoops, you can strengthen your core, and improve your balance! Plus, this is another great low-impact workout you can do almost anywhere. As a bonus - the kids may even want to hoop along with you!
The Influencer to Follow
Deanne Love (@deannelovexo) shares a TON of tips on her Instagram and YouTube to help you be the best hooper you can be! She is a breath of fresh air, sharing her thoughts and reaffirming beliefs about self-love, which is a great reminder going into 2024.
Where to Start
Lucky for us, Deanne has made a video detailing 5 steps on how to get started so we can put our best hoop forward!
Yoga
The Workout
The culture of yoga has ebbed and flowed over its 5,000-year lifespan, but it continues to appeal to so many different people. Yoga can be anything you want it to be: a good workout, a stress reliever, flexibility training, and the list can go on! With many different kinds of yoga, there’s something for everyone across different body types and skill levels. Plus - you just need a mat and a little bit of room which makes yoga accessible for all.
The Influencer to Follow
Jessamyn Stanley (@mynameisjessamyn) is truly a shining light in the yoga world. She makes yoga accessible to ALL. She has classes on her YouTube channel as well as her virtual yoga studio called the Underbelly. She discusses some sensitive topics on her social media accounts but does so in a way that centers everyone and is inclusive to all. If you want to get a better essence of what she’s all about we recommend checking out her book “Yoke”.
Where to Start
As we head into the new year, let’s remind ourselves to be grateful for what we have and who we are. Jessamyn’s Yoga for Gratitude lesson is the perfect way to ground ourselves for 20 minutes and is a great one for beginners.
Treadmill Strutting
The Workout
Yes, you read that correctly! Let’s embrace the inner models we are this year and strut our stuff on the Treadmill! By pairing certain playlists to the settings on the treadmill, you’ll not only get an amazing confidence boost, but you’ll get a great workout in as well!
The Influencer to Follow
Allie Bennett (@alliehbennett) has tons of amazing playlists that’ll get you feeling yourself - Beyonce style! She curates upbeat songs from every genre and pairs it with specific settings on the treadmill that make it easy to hop on and start strutting!
Where to Start
Reminisce on 2023 with Allie’s 2023 wrapped playlist!
Rebounding
The Workout
Jumping on the trampoline got a rebrand! Rebounding is done on a personal trampoline and is great for your joints, lymphatic drainage, and your cardio health!
The Influencer to Follow
Earth and Owl (@earthandowl) is a great YouTube and Instagram page to follow whether you’ve been rebounding for years or just bought your first trampoline! They have great in-depth tutorials, guides, and routines to get the most out of jumping! Their page features rebounders across different ages and skill levels, which is super inspiring and has created a supportive and inclusive community on their social media pages.
Where to Start
Earth and Owl have created an awesome playlist on their YouTube channel that is the ultimate starter kit for Rebounding! From what trampoline to buy, to technique, you’ll start like a pro after watching their playlist!
Family Workouts
The Workout
At home with the kids? No problem! Workouts that catch the kiddos’ attention can be super fun and be a great family activity! Maintaining a healthy relationship with working out, and using exercise as a way to get energy out are great lessons for the entire family, and finding a workout the family can do together can be a great way to combine a few New Year’s Resolutions in one!
The Influencer to Follow
Joe Wicks (@thebodycoach) has amazing workouts for every person in the family but pairs those workouts with amazing reminders on setting realistic goals and being kind to yourself no matter where you are in your journey.
Where to Start
Joe has an INCREDIBLE playlist on his YouTube channel called “PE with Joe” that is silly and fun enough to catch children’s attention, but also can be done alongside adults so the whole family can spend time together!
Mindfulness
The Workout
You didn’t think I’d leave out the brain in this list of fun workouts for 2024, would you? Physical and mental health are so intertwined, that we had to include a way to strengthen your brain in this list! Setting aside time for meditative practices can have huge benefits for your brain (and body)! Meditation may improve sleep, decrease anxiety, improve memory, and even reduce pain in the body.
The Influencer to Follow
Dora Kamau (@dorakamau) works with Wellness companies like Headspace and Nike to share her meditations to promote mindfulness. Her Instagram is a blissful place to be, as she shares her poetry, guided breathwork videos, and grounding practices.
Where to Start
Dora has several guided audio meditations on her website, that cover various topics that everyone can relate to and benefit from. You can check out her website here!
As we embark on the journey of the year 2024, let's embrace the notion that wellness is not just a destination but a daily celebration of movement and self-care. The diverse array of workouts presented in this Gourmet Guide to Wellness invites each one of you to find joy and fulfillment in your routines this year. Whether you’re rediscovering the thrill of childhood games through Hoola Hooping or jump rope, strutting your stuff or getting cozy on a treadmill, or prioritizing mindfulness with meditation I hope there’s a workout you can connect to and gain confidence, community, and consistency.
May 2024 be a year of health, happiness, delicious desserts, and the discovery of new, exciting paths to fitness - Cheers!
❤️ Your friends at Southern Roots Vegan Bakery