Christmas is now a distant memory and the majority of us have settled back into our regular routines of work/college, early nights, sober weekends, extra portions of fruit and veg and most importantly, getting back into NRG for those necessary training sessions. It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. The work you put in now is laying the groundwork for those Summer bodies and making you an all round healthier and happier person as we start 2016.
Follow some of these simple tips to survive and January and make 2016 the best year so far!
1. Find Your Motivation
What is motivating you to lose weight? Do you want to look better in your clothes, feel more energetic, or simply improve your health? Get clear about what you want, and then use that to inspire you throughout your journey.
2. Have a Plan
If you were to go on a long trip, you wouldn’t just jump in the car and go. If you did, you would arrive hungry, tired, and fatigued. That’s the same way you’d feel if you jumped into a whole new lifestyle with no planning. Before January ends, outline the changes you want to implement and decide how you’ll fit them into your schedule. Keep in mind that it may be best to take small steps rather than tackle everything at once.
3. Decide Specifically What Days You Are Going To Train
Don’t just start the week saying you’ll get to the gym 5 times this week, most of the time Friday will roll around and you may have only went once. Work your exercise into your day and set aside enough time for a worthwhile session.
4. Plan Your Meals
This can be the biggest stumbling block for most people. With the increase in commitments such as work, training and social events, food and meal preparation are often neglected or forgotten about, usually resulting in once of purchases of unhealthy options on the go, that can be quite expensive and leave you feeling unsatisfied. This is a very simple problem to overcome by just planning your meals. A great way to save a lot of time and money is preparing your meals in advance. Make a weekly shopping list and stick to it. Set aside 2-3 hours on an evening that suits, like a Sunday and prep your meals for the following week. Prepare 3-4 different dishes and this should be enough for lunches and dinners for 5-7 days. Vary the dishes and healthy sides such as salads, complex carbs like rice and sweet potato.
5. Eat Breakfast Every Day
Surely you’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is! Eat a big healthy breakfast as early as possible. It will give you more energy, lead you to make healthier choices during the day, and keep you feeling full so you eat less later on.
6. Try Something New & Have A Goal
For instance, if you have never tried a class at NRG, jump into the next spinning or bootcamp class. If you want to start doing more cardio work, start progressing with longer runs and work your way up to a 5K or even a half marathon. If you’re looking for a real challenge why not get a group together and sign up for a mud run. *Keep an eye out in NRG as we will be organising a team for a mud run this Summer!
7. Drink More Water
Simple. Try starting your day with a glass of tepid water with slice of lemon to kickstart you’re metabolism and immune system.
If you need any help or have any questions about classes or your workout, just grab one of the trainers on the gym floor or at reception, we’re always happy to help or book you in for a personal assessment!