2018 is fast approaching. If you’re looking to step up your health and fitness, and enjoy the benefits of it, now is the time to plan and put things in place which will help you to succeed.
These tips and tricks will help you to achieve your goals easier.
Goal Setting
January is not necessarily a time for a completely new set of goals. It’s time for you to take stock, access your previous goals, see how much you have achieved, celebrate (you should always celebrate success) and then start to plan for 2018.
Remember to look at short-term, mid-term and long-term goals, following on from what you’ve previously been working on, and throwing something new into the mix if you feel that it is relevant. Check out this post to see if you are planning your goals the SMART way.
Stop Guessing
Often people come to me flummoxed by how good they’ve been, how their meals have been nutritious, full of fibre and low in “bad fats” yet haven’t seen any difference in their weight or in how they’re feeling. My first question would normally be “How are you measuring your portions?”. Eating healthier foods is great however you have to remember that food is all about nutrition and fuel, not a competition to see how much you can successfully eat in one sitting. A handful is not a valid method of measuring either. Some people have significantly larger hands than other people.
If you want to hit those health and fitness goals in 2018 you need to invest in some simple but accurate measuring scales. I think you’ll be surprised but just how many portions of some foods you are eating.
Reassessment
I’ve mentioned looking back and setting new goals. These are incredibly important steps. What is similarly important is assessing your progress periodically to make sure that you are on track, if you need to slow it down, be challenged more or whether it might be worthwhile mixing up your training regime somewhat. Schedule regular assessment time with your PT or just for yourself and put this in your diary.
Sprint More
Did you know that sprint training, as part of a mixed regime, will help weight loss, boost metabolism (which helps with calorie burning) and help you tone up, looking leaner and feeling great? Being high intensity it’s an exercise that is best used occasionally rather than being the main part of any session however sprint training certainly offers a lot of benefits. Consider adding this in when working out or altering your training plan for 2018.
Try Something New
If your training regime is working brilliantly, and giving you the results that you’d hoped for, that’s great. That doesn’t mean however, that you need to be rigid with that plan. Add a new set of exercises, a new sport or try something completely different. Not only will you reduce the risk of plateauing, trying something new can be fun!
Identify New Incentives
Motivation is key when it comes to meeting and smashing your health, fitness and wellness goals. Wanting to be healthy is a great motivator in itself however at the same time sometimes you might need an extra nudge, particularly if you have a long way to go to reach the target you have planned.
Before January hits, sit down with a pen and paper and work out some incentives/rewards for yourself. These don’t need to be huge and shouldn’t only be for achieving big milestones, as small victories are still victories.
When it comes to a new year you have the perfect opportunity to stop, think, plan and to re-work your training so that not only do you succeed but so that you enjoy your training. Here’s to a fit, healthy and happy 2018!