Most of us have already started the countdown, haven’t we..? Two weeks until I’m allowed to have garden gatherings, four weeks until we can sit in beer gardens with our friends, ten weeks until (whisper it) we can go inside restaurants and bars and actually properly socialise. Here is a guest post from Sarah Hughes, Sarah writes about all things happy and hopeful at www.thegoodthingisthough.co.uk. Sarah shares here how you can kickstart your fitness today.
But the butterflies in the tummy excitement is quickly followed by that little voice on your shoulder saying “Well; you better start that blinking diet hadn’t you? That’s unless you want to buy an entire new spring wardrobe in a size bigger than last years haul.”
Yup; lockdown has been tough on the old waistline for most of us! A year of uncertainty and anxiety has led lots of us to make frequent trips to the biscuit tin (and the wine rack). Add to this the fact that we’ve spent the last year wearing ‘covers a multitude of sins’ loungewear; and it’s no surprise if we’re feeling a bit anxious about now wearing something a bit more fitted and formal.
Never fear. I’ve been a trainer for the past 15 years. And not just any trainer. Oh no; I’m that rarest of PT’s… the one who loves cake and wine and doesn’t believe cutting out all the things you love is necessary to lose weight and tone up! Here are my top tips to kickstart your fitness so that you feel confident and ready to enjoy that jam-packed social calendar.
Always consider your safety when working out too, especially if outside alone.
Make yourself accountable
By this I mean, identify someone, whether that’s a partner, sibling or friend, who you know will support you over the next few months. Tell them your plans and why making this change is so important to you. Even better, see if they’ll tackle it with you!
Embarking on a healthier diet or including regular exercise is so much easier if you’ve got a buddy to accompany you. On the days one of you want to throw in the towel, you can be each others’ support system.
As well as being accountable to your buddy, be accountable to yourself! Keep a diary of your targets and the steps you’re taking to achieve them.
Be realistic to kickstart your fitness
Be realistic about what you can achieve in this short amount of time. No; you probably can’t lose two stones in the next two weeks… and really that would be terribly unhealthy anyway! Set yourself an achievable target, whether that’s a weight loss goal or how many times per week you might exercise.
Take it one step at a time. Don’t set yourself a new target until you’ve achieved the first! If you’re coming at this from a standing start; aiming to exercise for 45 minutes three times per week is a good place to begin.
Whether it’s Zumba, weight training, power walking or HIIT classes, I firmly believe there’s a form of exercise out there for everyone (no matter how resistant they are towards the concept of exercise!).
Consider rewards carefully
Step back from ‘rewards’. This is a trap I have frequently fallen into myself… I’m sure it’s familiar to most of us! You know the deal; “Well I jogged three miles today so it’s fine for me to have this slice of cake and half a bottle of wine.”
The sad truth is; you cannot out-train an unhealthy diet. So if you’re serious about making a change, try to lose the rewards/treats entirely for the first couple of weeks while you embark on your kickstart. Eating healthily is easy enough, give it a try alongside and get the best rewards!
Once you’re settled into regular exercise and a balanced diet, you’ll be better placed to add in a few of those treats without you falling off the wagon!
So, will you be following this advice to kickstart your fitness? Has it given you any new ideas? Do comment below and let me know.
