New Year = New Me?

With the beginning of the new year comes New Years resolutions. Whether or not you're planning on keeping it is a different story, but we all make them.

Photographs by Zak Walton



A lot of people make the decision to get fit/ loose weight which is great, but after a month or so loose interest and give up. Understandable, we all want quick results with minimal effort but lets be realistic here, what you put in you get back! If you're a first time gym goer, this can be a daunting process but stay focussed, set yourself achievable weekly goals to keep yourself motivated until it becomes part of your daily routine. Try not to focus on what others around you are doing but focus on yourself, it's not about how fast you can do a set but making sure you do it correctly.

If you're a regular gym goer, don't huff and sulk that the gym is busier then it was a couple of months ago. Remember what it was like when you first joined, how nervous you where to be in a different environment. If you see someone who looks out of their comfort zone and you catch their eye, give them a smile it could be the confidence boost they need to stick at it. Don't laugh and take sly pictures if someone's doing an exercise wrong, instead go over and ask if you can offer any help.

Gym costs always go down around the New Year trying to entice new customers, however if you don't want to pay for a gym membership that you think you're not going to use, there are other ways to get fit/stay in shape. In my post 'Sweat.. It's Your Fat Crying' I mention going running either in the morning or evening when the streets aren't as busy if you feel a little self conscious.

Get a group of friends together and create your own Circuit... think of around 6-8 different exercises (this will depend on how many people are in the group), making sure you hit all the different muscle groups ensuring that you get a full body work out. The good thing with creating a Circuit is that if you don't have access to dumbbells/kettle bells, resistance bands or other equipment you can still pick exercises using your surroundings or just using your own body weight. Here are a few suggestions of exercises you could use:
- Squats
- Press Ups
- Plank
- Burpees
- Tricep Dips (using a park bench or steps)
- Crunches
When setting up your Circuit you want to avoid having exercises next to each other that hit the same muscle groups for example you wouldn't put Squats next to Lunges because they both target legs.

If you do have access to equipment at home, why not try writing yourself a workout plan. Instead of doing a full body work out focus on different muscle groups on different days. Do 3 or 4 different exercises to really get those muscles working.
Monday - Chest Day:
- Press ups
- Incline Chest Press
- Decline Chest Press
- Dumbbell Fly
Tuesday - Leg Day:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Jump Squats
etc...

Mix up your cardio routine if you get bored, go out and buy a skipping rope. Skipping is a great form of cardio, you really get your heart rate up either jumping or with high knees. If you want to take it up a level buy a weighted skipping rope, working your arms at the same time. When most people think of cardio, running is always their first thought but unless you enjoy running it can get a bit tedious after a while, here are a couple of other ideas to try:
- Jumping Jacks
- Burpees
- Step ups
- Bunny Hops
- Cycling

 

"True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united"