The New Year fitness resolutions (resources included)


(Image from weheartit)
I've been really ill recently, suffering from anaemia has been a major setback on the gym front.  As 2015 is a new year, I want to develop some new eating and exercise habits (More spinach for me!), and properly commit for once! However, I am a firm believer that if you really want to do something do it now, so why not start a bit early? Summer bodies are formed in the winter after all! I've finally become comfortable with my body, but definitely want to clean up my eating (I don't think the cookies are doing my skin any good), and run a full marathon at some point in my life... After doing a load of research online, I've bought some new gym kit to get myself in the mood for some exercise, and a much healthier and happier new year.

I've included quite a few links here, so if you want to save them just give this post a bookmark or save on bloglovin to have them at your disposal.

Here's some tips to follow and resources that i've picked up over this past year!

SET A REALISTIC GOAL

I used to completely ignore this part. Most people tell you to ignore the scale, and I think I took this a little too literally. I hadn't noticed that my slacking in exercise (mostly due to illness) was causing me to pile on the pounds again! If you have a goal weight, hit the scale once a week and don't check in-between. If you're going for a different look then take progress pictures once a week and compare them to see what your work has helped you achieve. This second method works for me because I quite frankly find the scale demoralising. It made me compare myself to my friends and other people, and their weights which is silly! My body is differently built from theirs, so my outcome is going to be different. 


FIND A GYM BUDDY

This will help you stay motivated! (Supposedly- Sarah & I have been slacking...) But you will need someone to tell you to get off your butt and get moving! This is something that's hard to find time for when you're at school 5 days a week, or work, and in your spare time you have really inactive hobbies (like me) such as blogging, drawing, or watching netflix... If you have someone who has a similar schedule to yours, sign up to the gym with them or meet for regular runs. When you have another person going through it with you, you're more likely to do it! Don't let it turn into a competition, because if you push yourself too far you'll just get hurt not be able to exercise for a good few weeks.

PACE YOURSELF

That leads me to my next point. Don't throw yourself into it and burn out after just a week! I'm entirely guilty of this. I'd find 5 different fitness videos, do them all everyday and just laze about for a weekend to recover and never exercise again. If you want to be consistent and make it a lifestyle then make sure you start at a slow pace and then build up the amount of exercise that you're doing. You'll feel better consistently making progress rather than doing lots and sliding quickly back into an old routine. 

PUT "THAT OUTFIT" WHERE YOU CAN'T IGNORE IT

Those jeans that you bought a size too small on purpose? Hang them somewhere you can't ignore them! This links back to my post on organisation and displaying your tasks that you need to conquer somewhere where you'll just have to see them all the time. If you can see your goal all the time, you'll be more likely to work towards it.

TELL YOUR FAMILY - THEY WILL HELP YOU

Let your family know that you're trying to eat more healthily and they will help you! I'm lucky enough to finally have my parents join me in this venture and we are all supporting each other all the time. For example, when we are out we will encourage each other to go for the healthier options (no more family sausage roll binge sessions for us, wahey!)


READ FITNESS BLOGS

If you're reading this blog, I've caught you out... You're a blog reader. Channel that passion and take the time out to read about some people's fitness experiences, or look at some before/after's on google to prove that really anybody can do it if they set their mind to it!

TECHNOLOGY REALLY HELPS

There is so much out there on the internet and on our phones that can be very useful for us. Here's a few things that I'd like to share with you (if you're not creative when it comes to strength, cardio & ab exercises like me)
  1. Jillian Michael's 30 day shred // LEVEL 1 // LEVEL 2 - This is a blessing! If you want to start slow this is a great one. To summarize, it has strength, cardio and ab intervals of 3,2 &1 minutes, repeated 3 times. There's a hard and easy version in all 3 levels, and each level is to be done for 10 days. There's no need to buy the DVD, it's all on youtube if you look hard enough. It's only around half an hour long each so there'd no excuse to not fit this into your schedule! It also gets great results, check out some here. You also won't need anything but a pair of weights and a mat to lie on and keep you comfy.
  2. Lionsgate be fit 30 day butt lift // CALENDAR // WORKOUT 1 // WORKOUT 2 // WORKOUT 3 // WORKOUT 4 // WORKOUT 5 // WORKOUT 6 // CARDIO 1 // CARDIO 2 // CARDIO 3If you want a more toned up behind, this one's great. Their videos include some cardio and strength too! The workouts include breaks and stretches to help get your breath back... you'll definitely feel the first video workout in your glutes the day after... 
  3. Myfitnesspal - If your diet is the problem, try this website! After you sign up it lets you count your calorie intake and has great features on the iphone/ipad app where you can scan the barcode of a food product and it will just add it to your food diary for you. I want to be more committed to this in the new year so I can properly watch what I eat, and monitor my intake of different food types!
  4. Couch to 5k - A fitness app for the iPhone once again, this is music app and running compatible. This has also given me good results in the time that I've bothered to use it! It's works great when you run on the treadmill I've found, but you can also use it to go running outside. It has a 3 day a week running timetable, and you run/walk in short intervals. These intervals then get smaller until you can run 5k without stopping after 8 weeks! If you find yourself struggling with a week then simply repeat it, or go back a week and do that one again. There's no rush, but when you reach your goal it will feel worth it!


THINK MORE POSITIVELY

A mistake I've made in the past is looking at my body in a really negative manner, like it's the worst thing in the world that HAS to be changed. I don't really have to change it, I just want to prove to myself that I can start something and actually finish it! Look at yourself in a more positive light, smile more, feel more comfortable with yourself. Instead of saying stupid things like "I'm so fat omg" try, "I have some body fat that I would like to lose." 


LIMIT FOOD, DON'T ELIMINATE

This sends me on disgusting rebounds all the time! I'll eat clean for a day or so, then binge on cake and pizza and feel really bad about it afterwards. If you really want cake, go and eat cake, but don't eat too much of it! Just know your limits and what's bad for you. If you slowly cut down on your bad food intake, eventually you probably won't want it at all... 

EMOTIONS ARE NOT AN EXCUSE!!

My new rule is don't binge because I'm sad, or happy. I use good events as an excuse to over eat, and then I'll also over eat when I'm sad about something. 2015 is a year to improve my relationship with food and make it a more positive one. No more ordering pizza hut on a whim, or grabbing mcdonald's after netball, boohoo.

SET UP A REWARD SYSTEM

Reward yourself for your hard work. When you reach a milestone, reward yourself with a new pair of trainers, or a sports bra - something that will help you reach the rest of your goal, not something that would hinder your progress... like a pizza, ok. (I personally am setting myself up with some new trainers and calvin kleins when I reach my goal.)

So that's some of my goals, and strategies for getting where I want to be next year. Do you have any health and fitness tips that you use?

Joksie xo
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