New years resolutions – 10 tips

It’s that time of year again when the gyms are packed and people are feeling motivated to workout and lose that unwanted weight!

Have you ever noticed after two – three weeks into the new year the gym will start to die down?

As a regular gym goer you might just have to bear through the weeks until it naturally gets quieter.

A big reason as to why new years resolutions for people don’t work out is that do too much too soon!

I’m all for the enthusiasm to want to make changes and get into the gym more regularly, but most people will over do it.

Personally I’m not a fan of the ‘resolutions’ as we can make changes to our life, set goals anytime of the year.  The new year is catchy I suppose as “starting fresh.”

For those who have new years as a time to start off on the right foot, allow me to give you some tips to be successful.

1)  Set realistic attainable short term goals. This means, aim to go to the gym 2-3 days maximum for 30 minutes total.  I find lots of people will go 5 days for an hour and after 2 weeks of doing so they are hating the experience.  Going too much right away will not make the experience enjoyable, a big reason why people quit going to the gym.  Start off slow, get consistent, build positive momentum and progress accordingly!

2)  Write down medium and long term visions. Where do you want to be in 6 months? One year? Don’t let media or pictures of people in magazines influence how you want to look.  Be realistic and patient.  Changes don’t happen overnight.  Convince your body to change and it will. Lead the way!

3)  Tell close friends and family about your goals. When those who care and respect for you know what you are trying to achieve you will have that extra moral support needed to get you through those tough days.  Indirectly when we know others are aware of our intentions, we are more likely to be successful and follow through!

4)  Make conscious efforts to minimize or even eliminate the junk. This means cookies, candies, donuts, fried foods, fast foods, pop, alcohol! I know I know, all the “fun” treats.  By doing so you will see the results quicker.  I promise you! They say a calorie is a calorie but that’s untrue.  These types of foods I listed have no nutritional value and will not fulfill you.  Eating clean as much as possible will get you to your goals quicker! This means, lots of fruits and vegetables, lean means, raw nuts and seeds.  Eat organic whenever possible! Eating is 80-90% of your success. Be in control of what kind of calories you intake.  After all you are what you eat!

5) Drink lots of clean filtered water daily. A good rule of thumb is divide your body weight by 2 and that will give you the amount of ounces you should have. Almost 80% of people are dehydrated daily.  By being hydrated our bodies work more efficiently, curbs hunger, reduces fatigue and stress!

6)  Get regular sleep each night. Sounds simple enough however people go to bed on a regular basis and this effects the most important time to be recovering.  When you are lacking sleep it can create havoc on our hormonal system and will encourage you to consume stimulants to get you through the day.  The ideal sleeping pattern if possible is 10:30pm – 6:30am.  In any case try to aim for a regular 7-8 hours a night! When the body is cranked up internally on stimulants and overall fatigued, this has a negative effect on your bodies ability to lose weight.  That’s why it’s important to keep stress under control or your thyroid (which controls your metabolism) will not function properly.

7)  Keep your repetitions high at the gym to start. I’m talking 12-15 reps.  Feel a good muscle burn but don’t push yourself to absolute failure.  By doing so will reduce the uncomfortable muscle soreness 2 days later.

8)  Start off with 10-15 minutes of cardio just to get going. Get a good sweat but don’t over do it.  The key is to build the habit and convince your body it isn’t so bad! You can increase your time and intensity as you feel comfortable.

9)  Use a workout journal. Keep track of your workouts, progress, weights, cardio time etc.  Consider this an actual journal.  Feel free to write down how you feel and then you can reflect back onto it.

10)  Be patient. Making a lifestyle change is physical and psychological challenge.  Be in tune with yourself.  Our bodies appreciate movement and activity.  It releases endorphins which will give you that happy feeling! Getting the blood pumping and moving is a fantastic way to feel better about yourself.  As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Go at a comfortable pace, develop a habit and work on bettering yourself each day.  The cleaner you eat, the better you will look and feel! The workouts are a bonus!

Good luck to you and feel free to leave comments, ideas tips that worked for you or ask questions if you are having struggles!