If your new year started with pledging an allegiance to a new fitness regime then it’s likely that by now your enthusiasm and resolve is waning a little bit .But you aren’t the only one, trust me we’ve all been seduced by the lure of the sofa and a glass of wine when we should really be at the gym.
So, we’ve established that it’s not easy to stick to your regime, but what about the practicality of actually sticking to it?
My first, and possibly best, tip, is to choose the type of exercise you actually like doing. Seems obvious but you’d be surprised how many people don’t. Someone I know spent years trying to go to the gym regularly and bound the treadmill, when in fact exercising indoors wasn’t really her thing. Then one day a friend dragged her on a bike ride: 13 miles and 2 sore legs later she was a convert and now gets most of her exercise out in the open air and has met some great people along the way.
My second tip is that there is power in numbers so work out with a friend. Alot of people already do this, but many of us don’t consider the actual person we work out with, and this can have a huge impact on your fitness regime. The right type of friend, who encourages you when you’re feeling lazy, or builds healthy competition with you, can really spur you on and make sure you don’t miss sessions and give them your all. However some friends encourage your bad points, and will cancel at the last minute, encourage you to take too many rests, or make you feel inadequate, and they can have a negative effect on your exercise sessions and your view of exercise as a whole.
My final piece of advice is to remain positive! We’re all human and all susceptible to giving up r having a week off, but as long as you can overcome this and get back on track then all is not lost. Try and change the way you view slip ups, so rather than saying ” I had a week off, there’s no point continuing”, challenge yourself to do double next week or add some time onto the sessions you do. Another area where you should change your thinking is when it comes to excuses. If you’re aware of the stock excuses you use then you can combat them. So, for example, if you often miss an exercise class because you feel weak after skipping lunch at work, then keep a banana or cereal bar in your kit bag for an energy hit.
I hope these pointers help you to stick to your regime, but remember everyone lapses sometimes and as long as you’re happy and healthy everyone deserves a little treat!
Need to find a Cheshire gym ? Then why not take a look at Mere Golf & Country Club’s leisure club in Cheshire and the packages they offer.