Making A Fresh Start

Many people look to the beginning of January to ‘draw a line’ beneath what has gone by and make a fresh start, especially when it comes to losing a few pounds and getting fit, but how do go about making a fresh start?

Throughout January, I will be posting blogs as a guide to making that fresh start. From How to make the start, How to fit it all into a busy schedule, footwear, goal setting plus whatever else pops into my head that I feel may help you to make a start  towards creating a new you.

How To Start

Gym memberships are becoming more flexible these days and are a good option but still lack the personal touch in terms of providing sustained drive and focus that most people need to get the results needed. As well as that, they are not exactly the most enjoyable places to spend your time in my opinion. Even as a personal trainer, I haven’t used a gym for a long long time.

So, you might be asking, how do I get into good shape if I don’t use a gym? The answer may not be what you are expecting but here it is…

a) Running &
b) Resistance Training combined.

Running is FREE and living in Dorset, we have some of the most amazing scenery, beaches, forest, countryside and nature reserves to work out in. Results come very quickly and apart from proper footwear, (subject of a later post), you can wear whatever you want.

Before You Start

Make sure that you are properly prepared for your first session. Many people new to running try to avoid spending any money initially for fear of wasting it if they don’t stick to it. However, its worth spending some time planing your outcomes, running routes and most importantly which running shoes to buy. I will help you with this in future blogs.

Health Check

Consider A Check Up!

If you are a male over 45 or a woman over 55, even if you are feeling fine consider get a check up. Anyone coming to me MUST first have a full health and a fitness assessment with me which can lead to a GP referral for any contraindications to exercise that I discover.

Its especially important to do this if you have any risk factors for heart disease (obesity, family history, hypertension or high cholesterol). Be aware that cardiovascular disease start in our adolescence and it may be there without knowing, so book your check up as step one to making a fresh start.

Start With An End In Mind

If you don’t know where you are going you’ll … I’m sure you know the rest? Having a target to go for keeps you focused and challenged. Also, make sure that you understand the reasons WHY you are doing this as having a big reason will pull you through on the tough days when other priorities jostle for your time. Typical targets might be to run for 30 minutes without stopping, to run a 5k race for a charity without walking, a 10k? Who knows where you’ll end up? In the summary below I have included a video clip of a genius speaker who talks about the importance of setting goals. Also, I January, I will be running my own workshop on goal-setting from which you will leave with an ‘action plan’ for the year ahead.

Pace Yourself

When you are new to something over enthusiasm can often lead us down the wrong pathway. I always start new runners very gently, fast walking is sometimes the appropriate way forward. It vital that over eagerness is reined in to prevent injuries and to make sure that the body has time to adapt to the new demands being placed upon it.

Summary

• Before you do anything, write down WHY you want to lose weight, tone up, start exercising etc Remember, its these reasons that will pull you through on less enthusiastic days.

• Decide on your objectives, goals and targets. (see the vid below). Make them measurable, achievable and realistic to you and where you are today.

• Plan where you will run, use Google maps to plot the distance and if possible, make the route a circuit rather than running the reciprocal route home.

• If you fit the higher risk category above, book and go for your check up. By the time you have done that, I’ll be back with the next steps… How to Start.

 

Meantime, why not “Like” my Face Book Personal Training Page and access lots of hints, tips, myth-busters and other heath & fitness related info?

 

 

 

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