Christmas and Boxing Day have now past and I bet you're still surrounded by left-overs, boxes of biscuits and boxes of chocolates. Are you sick of the sight of them?
Are you feeling tired, fat with your clothes feeling somewhat snug?
Have you already made a resolution to join a gym in January?
Yes?
But, isn’t that what you usually do every January after the Christmas over-indulgences?
Is this your usual process?
1. You decide to go along with the masses and join a gym as you believe that is what you are supposed to do.
2. You make it to the gym induction and feel completely self-conscious being shown round by the slim and/or muscle bound young instructor, who barely looks like they're out of school. You think, ‘What do they know about being overweight?’
3. You then feel even worse after they’ve taken you round the lines and lines of strange, scary looking machinery and you have no idea what they are explaining to you.
4. You get a program written for you and struggle around the gym for the first week as you can’t remember anything that was explained to you.
5. You then might make it back and do quite well for a week or two while your motivation is high.
6. After a couple of weeks of trying to do it on your own, or even with a friend, you decide it’s just too hard and don’t believe you’ll ever become a slim gym bunny so you stop going.
7. Suddenly pizza and a dvd seems a much better idea than going to the scary gym and before you know it, you go back to what’s familiar and comfortable to you.
8. But, you return to eating whatever you want and moaning about being overweight/feeling lethargic/clothes not fitting etc.
For many this is an all too common scenario and most don't make it past the first two weeks.
So why do we keep trying to do the same things every January when we know they don't work for us? Is it because we know most people will be trying to do the same things so there is safety in numbers? Is it because you think that joining the gym is the only option?
There are many other things you could do.
Alternatives to joining a gym this January
1. Look into community classes
There are stacks of classes in church halls and local community centres from Zumba and salsa, to circuits, boxing and bootcamps. Do a Google search online for your local areas or just stop off at all the places local to you and check out their notice boards.
2. Go power walking with a friend
Completely free and a great excuse to get some fresh air AND have a good ole chinwag too! Don some comfy footwear and work out a few routes maybe starting with 30 minutes and building up to an hour on as many days of the week as you can.
Remember to walk briskly and not amble!
3. Racquet sports
Who says you have to actually play the game properly? Just see if you can hit a tennis ball or shuttle cock back and forwards to start off! Involves the whole body moving in all directions (not just forwards like at the gym!) A great way to get the heart pumping.
4. Swimming
Using water as resistance is a great way to tone and shape the body. Also great for those of you who are more self conscious and don’t like feeling sweaty. But you have to actually swim to get fit, not just float around! Set yourself a number of lengths to start with or a set amount of time such as 20-30 minutes and build on that.
5. Personal training
and bootcamps
If you are unsure of how to get to your goal and can't seem to find anything that works, the best option is to hire the services, or go to sessions held by a personal trainer who will be able to give their expert advice and get you to your goals faster.
Whatever you choose you must address your diet too. No amount of exercise can undo a bad diet! Getting leaner is about 80% diet and 20% exercise.
You must also challenge yourself when you exercise and get out of your comfort zone. Get out of breath and get sweaty!
The talk test is a good indicator. If you can chat away and give an update of an entire episode of your favourite soap, the chances are you're not working hard enough. But if you can barely get a work out you can assume you're working pretty hard! If you are fairly new to exercise then short sentences are what to aim for.
If you would like help getting into the best shape of your life this year then come and have a chat with us to find out how.
Email me on emma@optimiseu.com
www.OptimiseU.com
www.BoffosBootcamp.com
www.YummyFitMums.com
www.WeightLossGuruRuislip.com
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