Out & About July 2017

7 / 60

As we take down the tinsel and enter the
New Year thoughts often turn to a ‘New
You’.
We over indulge, celebrate and enjoy the
festive period and as the New Year begins we
look at starting afresh.
New habits for the NewYear
Many new year resolutions are linked to a
healthier, fitter or thinner you. People turn to
exercise, diets and no alcohol for the month of
January to start seeing the changes.
But only one in ten of us will achieve the goals
that we set out to reach.
Failure is often linked to a lack of planning and
organisation as to how to meet those goals.
You need to think about how you are going to
achieve the goal that you are striving for.
Think about what you want to achieve.
Don’t get drawn in to what everyone else is
doing but focus on what you want to achieve
as this is more likely to keep you focused in the
long term.
Goal setting
Set yourself a goal, then break it down into
small and manageable steps.
Write this down so that you can follow it as
you go.
Once you’ve decided what your aim is, you
might need a bit of guidance. Get some
professional help or look at online sites such
as Couch to 5km, the guide to helping you
achieve a goal without overwhelming you and
preventing success.
Keep a diary
Make a note of what works, what isn’t working,
the good and the bad. Be prepared to make
changes to your plan should you need to. If
there is no flexibility the chances of falling off
the wagon and finding it hard to get back on
are more likely.
Make it a habit
The key is to introduce habits that you can
withstand for the whole year, not just the first
couple of weeks in January.
Rather than doing extreme and drastic diets
as January begins, think about healthy eating
habits that will barely even feel like a “diet”.
Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables
that you are eating, make sure you eat
regularly and drink lots of water.
If you are going to limit anything in your diet,
focus on limiting the processed foods that you
consume, especially sugar.
Reducing alcohol is always going to be
recommended if you want to become healthier
and lose weight.
When you first start making changes it all may
seem like a chore. If you aim to make it part
of your lifestyle, even though you may find it
hard to do at first (including eating well and
exercise), you will start to feel better and that
will help to keep you on track.
Then it becomes your hobby, with new
challenges and new achievements.
Remember it is never too late to start making
changes towards a healthy lifestyle. Whether
you are a teenager or in your 80s you will feel
the benefit from getting moving and eating well.
Take the New Year opportunity and make this
day one of a healthier you.
Not sure how to get started?
Would you like help to setting and achieving
your health and fitness goals?
Take advantage of LiveFitNow’s New Year spe-
cial offer – 20 per cent off our Personal Training
packages until January 31, 2017.
Mention Out&About January to apply this
discount. With expert guidance and motivation
you will increase your chances of reaching your
goals. Especially if you are trying something
new, knowledge will give you the confidence of
knowing how to meet your goals.
7
Personal trainer Vicki Brown is
the founder of LiveFitNow, based in
Wash Common.
For a free consultation, more
information and links to online
home fitness videos, visit
Get up and go
Time to shift yourself from the couch
and shake off the excess of turkey
and Christmas pudding. Vicki Brown
says it’s easy to stay on track if you
set sensible goals