Out & About January 2017

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

A s 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 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 are more likely. Make it a habit

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.

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 www.LiveFitNow.co.uk

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