How To Make The Most From Your New Years' Fitness Resolution
The New Year turning seems to bring around sudden changes in peoples beliefs and attitudes towards a better lifestyle or habits and always brings a boom to the fitness industry. However, as with most peaks there are inevitably troughs where people's motivation or priorities take the turn towards their old routines and lifestyle. So this is why I am taking the time to help people maintain that motivation they enter the New Year with and capitalise on what potential you are putting into your life.
Firstly the most important thing is setting goals. Goals, goals, goals, did I mention goals?! Now, when I say goals I don't mean "tone up" and "get fit" - figure out exactly what you want by creating SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely. For example, a female client wants to "tone up" making this a smart goal could be going from a size 12 to a size 10 in 4 weeks; it is specific to losing weight and toning up, measurable in the size reduction, achievable and realistic through training and diet and has a precise timescale to it. Once that smart goal has been achieved don't stop there, set more!
By taking small achievable steps you will transform your lifestyle and attitude towards a healthier more active one. Once you see the results happen (you need to work for them - put in 100% it will happen) you will hate the moment you slip back believe me!
The most common barrier or excuse I here to not exercising is not having time. I'm not going to sugar-coat this... make time! Whatever reason is taking all your time I guarantee will be for nothing if you do not have your health, morbid I know but a reality nonetheless. Anyone can fit in a 20-30 minute training session in a day and if you do it right that could be all you need to achieve something.
The next essential part of training is having a programme that will help you achieve those goals, you can have excellent smart goals but the incorrect methods in trying to achieve them will fail you. Speak to a trainer/fitness professional or even an experienced training savvy friend/training partner who can at least give you some direction to what you should be doing. If a scientifically backed training programme is prescribed and you adhere to it you will achieve your goals (if you go to a trainer and give it 100% and achieve nothing go ask for your money back!). If you attend the gym consistently unguided you may still achieve something but once you run out of ideas, the session becomes boring and the progress slows then that is where people will lose motivation and quit.
Once your goals and programme are set in place the next thing to mention is to give it time, get into the frame of mind that things won't happen overnight and that it is going to be hard work. Once you accept these factors you are past the biggest step. Everything that's worth having are things that take time and effort and are the hardest things to let go. Put time and effort into your fitness journey and it will be hard to let it go.
Happy training and happy new year!
