KEEPING FIT, EATING WELL, STAYING HEALTHY

Now the new year is upon us it’s a time we are all setting out to improve our health and fitness. Resolutions are made, goals are set and now it’s the time to think ‘how am I going to achieve this?!?’ Many jump straight in and go full throttle from the word go - strict diet, 2 hours exercise a day 7 days a week and then after two weeks they stagnate or drop off from what they set out to achieve as it’s unsustainable long term. Others take the more cautious approach and January soon passes without making inroads into the goals they have set out to achieve. The good news is Anytime Fitness is here to help!! Here are their top tips for achieving your health and fitness goals in January:

• Be honest with yourself - your goal needs to be achievable! Have an overall goal and then break it down into mini goals so you have easier targets to achieve and constant motivation to progress week by week, month by month. Make sure you have an end date to achieve your absolute goal whether this be to get to a certain weight or a holiday you’ve booked to continue pushing yourself towards success.

• Add structure to your day - planning will be your biggest tool to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. Plan everything from when you will be working out each day to meal planning for the week ahead to keep yourself accountable during your journey. Make it realistic to your time frames e.g. don’t plan a morning workout if you struggle to get out of bed - plan it for later in the day when you are awake and full of energy.

• There is no point in throwing out all the junk food and alcohol from the house, dropping all carbohydrates out of your diet and swapping all meals for shakes on January 1st. Instead manipulate your diet to become where it needs to be. Balance out your meals, ensure you eat protein with every meal and add more vegetables.

• Drink more water! This was a tip pre-Christmas but the principle applies every day. Drinking enough water is essential to keep your body functioning efficiently, especially your digestive system. Drinking water also helps you avoid over-eating; dehydration is often mistaken for hunger, so you reach for a left-over mince pie as opposed to a glass of water!!

• Get advice. Achieving your health and fitness goals can be full of ups and downs, but there is no need to panic. Come see a fitness professional and they can help you with everything from workout plans to diet plans to health assessments. They are here for you at Anytime Fitness at Flemingate every step of the way!!

Pop in and see them  -they are at their Flemingate Gym 24/7 - or call on 01482 247100 for a chat!