Everyone knows that in January many people join gyms, book classes and plan a range of exercise activities for the year ahead. However not many people stick to these plans for more than a few months. This is often because:
· You start too much at once, e.g. from doing nothing you try to do four intensive sessions a week
· You don’t see any changes or improvements as quick as you would like
· You are not sure of what you are doing or how much exercise to do
· Its winter and freezing so in the evening you don’t feel like going out!
However, you can start exercising in January and keep it up for life by following a few small steps:
· If you are planning on joining a gym:
o Get a proper induction and make sure you fully understand how everything works
o Ask for a couple of different programmes to follow
o Don’t stick to the same workout each week, try and use all of the equipment available and work your whole body
o Don’t be afraid of using free weights or fixed resistance machines
· If you want to start running:
o Start by doing jog/walk intervals over a 2 mile route
o Build up the time you are running as the weeks progress
o Once you can run that route start adding hills/more distance
o You can plan running routes on websites such as www.mapmyrun.com
· To avoid boredom follow a varied programme of exercise from walking to a Pilates class or from swimming to running
· Make a pact with a friend/family member to start something together and stick to it for at least 6 weeks. By then you should see the benefit and keep it up!
· Plan your exercise sessions each week, if you make it part of your weekly routine you are more likely to stick to it
· Book a course of sessions with a personal trainer, they can introduce you to a range of exercise activities and help you stick to it!
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