- Don’t worry about waiting for New Year to start your workout. Decide what you want to achieve and then plan the steps will help you get there. You don’t need to wait until the New Year, this is something that needs to be done frequently to ensure your goals will help you reach your target.
- Do whatever exercise you enjoy — it’s best to stick to something simple that doesn’t require fancy equipment, such as walking. Walking is free and requires nothing but a comfortable pair of shoes. It can be incorporated into your daily routine and just 10,000 steps a day will help you start to see an improvement in your fitness before long.
- Encourage friends to accompany you. It’s always more fun if you exercise with friends and family. Walking with a friend often means you have time to have an uninterrupted conversation.
- Little and often. It takes 66 days to form a habit. Set realistic goals that are achievable such as walking for 10 minutes at a time and building to at least 30 minutes a day and build up slowly.
- Reward yourself —just think about the way you train a dog! Reward the positive behaviour with little treats rather than beating yourself up if you don’t achieve your goals.
- Look back. Look how far you’ve come. Sometimes, when you’re making gradual progress, you don’t realise just how your positive behaviour is helping.
- Recognise that there are some days when you just won’t be able to do everything you intended. Don’t beat yourself up, just have a short break and try again the next day.
- Find the best time of day that suits you. If you’re not a morning person and your energy levels are low early in the day, then don’t choose that time to exercise.
More tips including contributions from Dr William Bird can be found in the Independent article here: www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/new-years-resolutions-9-ways-to-stick-to-your-exercise-regime-a6794561.html
