Thinking ahead to the New Year

Christmas is firmly on our lips and we are all loosening our belt buckles a notch or two to make room for the inevitable intake of cheese, turkey and party food. After all that’s part of the fun of the festive season, having a big blow out with our favourite tipples and vast array of seasonal spreads, and quite simply having a wonderful time.

It’s all fun and games until the door slams on December and you find yourself staring out at the bleakness of January. No lights, no glitter, just darkness and a few extra digits on your weight scale.

It’s no wonder that in January we all seem to have very similar goals, and they almost always gravitate around weight-loss and getting fit, I know that I am always raring to get going again after Christmas, I like to indulge as much as the next person, but I equally love to that feeling you get as your body detoxes from the richness of December.

One of the most popular questions I get asked is whether you have to join a Gym in order to see results, and I can tell you now that you honestly don’t. Even now I am back in the gym, I still have days where I workout primarily from home, and in the thick of the winter months, sometimes this is the best solution anyway. Yes in the summer you might miss the air conditioning in the gym, but when it’s cold outside, you simply need to crack a window open or flail open the patio doors.

- Treat yourself to some new workout gear, even if you aren’t going to be going to the gym, my personal experience is that if you have Gym kit that you like the look of and enjoy wearing, you are more likely to stick to your goals. Even when I workout from home I’ll get dressed like I would if I was heading to the gym, if you are looking for some new wardrobe additions, Function 18 have everything you could possibly need!

My top tips to anyone looking to get fit in the New Year are these:
- Take little baby steps in the right direction, make better food choices, say no to the last of the Christmas wine and just see what these small choices amount to, because you might just very well be surprised.
- Take part in a challenge, like dry January. This was something that my Dad did a few years ago and this was just the very start of his weight loss journey. He hasn’t looked back since, but he has had to buy new clothes that fit!
- Finally, don’t put to much pressure on yourself. Good things come to those who are patient and keep at it. January is an amazing time to start a new fitness regime, and you most certainly won’t be alone in your endeavours. Why not try and find a friend who wants to go at it with you? That way you can both stay accountable and hit milestones together!
The gyms will be busy in the New Year, but it does quieten down eventually, but if you don’t want to go down a Gym route then why not have a look at one of the following at home training programs?
- Emily Skye
- Kayla Itsines
- The Bodycoach
Remember that Christmas is only one day, my goal this year is to just take one day to enjoy the festive food, and then try to keep my eating as normal as possible... let’s see how this works out then!