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New Year, New You!
Maggie Hollowed • 6 January 2020
New Year is here and everywhere you look there are adverts
for weight loss supplements, slimming clubs, gym memberships, fitness equipment
and fitness apparel.
Before you rush out and buy into this marketing campaign,
just take a moment to consider exactly what it is you want to achieve and ask
yourself:
Before you rush out and buy into this marketing campaign, just take a moment to consider exactly what it is you want to achieve and ask yourself:
- ‘What is my goal? Why do I want to achieve it?’
- ‘What do I have to do to achieve it’?
- ‘Is it realistic?’
- ‘How will it fit into my lifestyle – work, family?’
- ‘What changes will I have to make?’
- ‘What barriers prevent me from achieving my objectives?’
- ‘If I am going to achieve the things I want to achieve and I am willing to make some changes, then what time scale am I going to set myself’
When you have had a chat with yourself and decided on what you want to do, visualise how you would feel when you achieve your goals.
Don’t feel pressurised to join the gym, enrol in a diet club or buy huge pieces of fitness equipment that end up as a clothes hanger. Think about what U want and then decide the best course of action.
There is no magic pill for maintaining weight loss and fitness levels. Just a combination of good eating habits with increased activity.
Some simple tips to help you on your way:
- Set a realistic goal.
- Make a gradual change to eating plans and lifestyle
- Eat a well–balanced meal plan. Little and often. Never go hungry or skip meals - this leads to a craving for naughty snacks.
- Keep hydrated and drink plenty of water.
- Use tape measure readings as well as weighing scales to measure fat loss progress.
- Get Active!
- Take the stairs instead of the escalator
- Leave the car at home for short journeys
- Get off the bus or train one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way
- With desk bound jobs make sure coffee & lunch breaks include moving – a walk around the office, to the shops, up and down some stairs.
- Take up a fitness class near your home or work place. One that fits in with your home, family work timetable and one that you enjoy doing. If you enjoy doing the class the likelihood is that you will keep going.
- Walk or workout with a friend or family member
Be patient – Be prepared for obstacles – Keep visualising the end result
Small steps lead to a great stride! Good luck on your journey!
When opportunity knocks – open that door!
To Spring into action is to become suddenly very active and energetic.
In a recent number of polls carried out by market research companies and social media, it has been established that over 40% of people have gained weight during the pandemic.
We are heading towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Fingers crossed, if plans go accordingly, lockdown is due to be lifted by the end of June. Some sort of normality will return to our lives. We will be able to return to classes in person and not just virtually.
Valentine’s Day is almost here. A day for professing your love or desire for someone else.
After the last 9 months we have had and with current lockdown rules, I do not blame anyone for trying to make the most of their Christmas. It is of course the season to be jolly.
This week I was asked to present at an event over a virtual platform. I was well prepared and had everything planned.
I remember our first day of lockdown, 17 March 2020. Classes were cancelled and students were asking how they could participate in classes from home. After a couple of weeks of testing different platforms we managed to deliver our classes through social media. I t was not an easy transition and was only achieved after much trial and error with the help and support from students. People found it strange at first, going from a live group class environment to a virtual class from home, watching from their PC, lap top, tablet or phone. Fast forward 5 months and exercising from home has become part of our daily routine. In addition to that we have all become a lot more ‘Tech Savvy!’. We are now quick to link our lap tops to the TV, or screen mirror our phones or tablets. We are quick to set up, organise the furniture, angle the camera and adjust the sound. We have come along way. Looking forward to the next 5 months and who can predict what will happen? One thing for certain is the importance of keeping active – both physically and mentally. We must make the most of the Summer days and weeks we have left. Enjoy some long walks, exercise in the great outdoors or simply dance in the sun, wind or rain – our virtual classes will continue to be here for you – we are only a touch of a button away.
Find the balance, find the time to have fun, quality time with friends & family, time to invest in your health, fitness and mental wellbeing, time to relax & unwind. Balance is key. Look after yourself because it is ‘U’ that matters.
Focus On Positive Communication According to a recent report from the Mental Health Foundation, changing the way we talk and think about ourselves may help us to feel happier in our own skin. When we continuously speak about our bodies in a negative way, “I feel fat today”, “I look old”, “I do not have the body to wear that”, it can lead to us feeling worse about ourselves and leave us with poor body image. Instead, if we try to focus on the more positive things about our body, and what it does for us, this may help to support and improve our body image, ’I am strong’, ‘I am healthy’, ‘I am pretty good for my age’! Another good approach to building body image is to focus on activity and healthy eating habits for the benefits they provide, instead of just focusing on dieting, losing weight or building muscle. Be kind to yourself!
