It’s that time of year again, and we know what we’re all supposed to do…..make some life changing decisions to make us happier people (and maybe make us better people – who knows!) Whether we try to swear less, stop annoying habits, or eat less chocolate, you CAN make a difference, but only if you strive to make one.
Below are tips to help you be what you want to become and the reasons why!
1. KICKSTART your new body transformation TODAY!
The word you’re looking for is ACTION. I’ll let you in on a phrase I tell nearly every one of of my clients: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. Makes sense, don’t you think?
How was 2009? Was it a good year? Let’s face it, if you do nothing significant between now and December 2010, I would bet you’ll be doing more or less exactly the same thing come December 2010! Do you want to move forward, not ‘maintain’ or even regress? Do you want to make a change? The time is NOW!
ACTION!
2. Set a goal.
I’ve covered many aspects of goal setting in my article (‘Are you working intensely enough?’) but make sure you set at least one goal! How else will you know if you’re making progress? How will you know if you’re doing the right things? What will alert you that you might be doing some things that aren’t working?
3. Write the goal down!
Writing a goal down on a piece of paper makes it feel more real. It makes it tangible. Important. It will then serve as a reminder for you to keep trying to keep to it.
4. Keep a food diary.
Ever wonder why the unwanted weight keeps returning? Invest in a notebook and you can catch the hidden snacks. If you want to go one further, you can track calories and macronutrient ratios on internet programs like fitday.com.
(Bear in mind this can get quite tedious, but if you struggle with basic portions it’s a great start).
5. Regularly check progress.
If this is to lose weight then is a simple weigh-in. To specifically lose fat and improve body composition, a weigh-in and body fat measurement test will need to be done. Don’t panic about dips and increases in weight over short periods of time, but be sure to check on it and record it!
6. Exercise often!
This could be 10 mins everyday, 30 mins 5 times a week or 3 hours a week. The catch is to make sure you do it! Once you break the cycle, it’s easy to let another training session slip and before you know it you haven’t exercised in a month.
How do you make sure failure doesn’t happen? Make goals small and achievable. Only after adopting this new lifestyle for a while will you be able to make more further changes.
7. Hire a Coach or a mentor (I.E. someone who has done it before)
Most of us need a kick up the backside this time of year. A skilled professional will jumpstart your progress and give you priceless advice that will mean you don’t make physique killing mistakes.
Believe it or not, over-using this machine can be a big mistake for some.
Find a trainer that has good credibility (recommendations), they walk the talk (they look like they actually know what they’re doing) and can answer most of what you ask – and tell you the reasons WHY. Anything that sounds like B.S. – check it with another trainer, or someone you know and trust.
8. The time to mix it up is now!
If you’ve been doing the same program for the last 3 years It’s pretty obvious that your body would benefit from something different. If you ve been doing sets of 20 reps, why not try some heavier weights with 8 reps? Done bicep curls every time you step in the gym? Try some close grip chins or pull downs.
The time to change is now!
John Cammish (B.S.C) is a local East Yorkshire Fitness Bootcamp Instructor and real-world fat loss expert. He has helped countless individuals change their lives through postive habits with a focus on tried and tested methods. For more details about Personal Training, Fitness Bootcamps, Free Articles and more – check his website (www.yournextlevelfitness.co.uk) and his Bootcamp Blog (blog.yournextlevelfitness.co.uk).
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