The new year is a great time to commit to a healthier lifestyle but many people make fitness related New Year’s resolutions, only to find themselves giving up after a few weeks. Which is mainly why gyms are packed in January, but back to normal by February.
1. Set realistic short term and long term goals
It would be fantastic losing 2 stones (or 12kg) in 7 days, but it’s not a realistic goal to achieve. Instead, try setting smaller objectives which lead to bigger long-term goals. Marginal gains revolutionised professional athletes’ performance and it’s a simple concept that everyone can implement into their everyday life. If you aim to lose 0.2 stone every week consistently, you will find it much easier to manage than losing 2 stones in 10 weeks.
2. Track your progress
So you see a consistent weight loss from doing 30 minutes cardio everyday for a week. You decide to celebrate by going out for food during the weekend, only to realize that you have put all the weight back on the following Monday. This happens every week for a month and eventually you give up as you don’t see any result, does this sound familiar to you?
In order to get out of this endless cycle, you need to start tracking how many calories you are burning vs how many calories you are taking in. It’s also important to track progress in the gym so you know where you need to improve.
3. Stick to the plan
Setting goals is an easy task, but sticking to it is where the work begins. Tenacity requires effort, The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins is a very good audiobook that talks about how she turned her life around and made sure she did every she set out to do
4. Find good company
Find someone who is trying to achieve the same goal as you. It helps massively as you are both aiming for the same target and support each other. It’s especially useful at the gym as you will have someone else to talk to!
5. Enjoy what you do
Most importantly, enjoying what you are doing is what matters most. If someone suggests doing 30 minutes of running and you hate running, then find an alternative cardio exercise. Use the rowing machine or jump skip instead. As long as you are happy doing what you want to do at the gym, that’s the most important bit. Think of it this way, if you want to pick up a sport and you have no interest in football, then you are most likely not going to stick to it,
