Tips for classic New Year resolutions!

Hey again! :)

So, I touched a little on this in my last post, 'Happy New Year', but... "this year I'm going to lose weight" or "this year I'm going to get fit" are common things that people always say at the start of a new year. And, whilst New Year resolutions are often made with great intentions...sadly more often than not they are broken within the first few months.

What I would say is...don't set yourself up for a fall. Don't go for the unrealistic goals that ultimately you can't stick to. So, you want to lose weight? Ask yourself why? There might be many reasons...Health problems? Self-esteem? Body confidence? Whatever it is, place this at the forefront of your mind. This is your motivation. Picture the end result...what does it look like? How does it feel?

So... you've definitely convinced yourself that you want to lose some weight/ tone up/ get fitter etc...You know the reasons why, so now it's a case of how? First of all...DO NOT immediately think..."I can only eat salad from now on!!! No more chocolate, no more chips, no more meals out..Sigh." You are trying to make a change for the better, not transform into a rabbit! It's simply not realistic to go completely cold turkey and deprive yourself of the "naughtier" foods. Believe me, if you try YOU WILL CRACK sooner or later and possibly go on a little binge!

It's funny because, why is it that when those four little words "I'm on a diet" enter your head or leave your mouth your stomach immediately rumbles and your mind is one tracked on FOOD?!

Scrap the word diet and go with simple and achievable changes. For example, if you know your weakness is chocolate and you usually have a couple of bars a day, start off slowly and cut your intake down to e.g. 2 instead of 3, perhaps swapping that third choc fix for a piece of fruit or a glass of juice? If you tend to raid the crisps cupboard (or chips if you're American) perhaps think about switching your e.g. Walker's 'full of fat' packets, to slighter healthier alternatives e.g. French Fries, Skips, Snack'o'Jacks, Quavers- they are all lower in calories and lighter choices. Turn that big breakfast butty into a less calorific option like cereal, toast, yogurt, fruit? And if you can't cut it out completely limit the amount of days you have it for breakie? Small and steady changes will win the race!

Making changes to your diet is a crucial step in losing weight. After all, whatever you have been doing so far isn't working out because you feel unhappy with your body. And speaking of working out...regular exercise is another important aspect. And by this...I'm not talking about running marathons or becoming Mr or Mrs Macho! I again would suggest to start off small.

Don't worry I know that the word exercise is enough to make you want to cry! I can relate to this. I can. I wasn't always so 'pro-exercise' believe me. However the key is to find something that you enjoy. So now you're probably asking yourself...do I enjoy ANY exercise?! Well, rack your brains...there must be something that you can at least tolerate...something that you think you can muster up the motivation to do perhaps a couple of times a week? And it's got to be something that can fit into your lifestyle. Maybe you always give the role of walking your dog to someone else (if you have one)...perhaps you could tag along or take on the job?! It could be that you have a bike collecting dust in the garage that you could dig out? Or maybe you could stick on that fitness DVD you got for Christmas, a few nights a week?

Whatever you do, don't go and sign up to a pricey gym membership if you aren't actually a 'fan' of the gym. This is possibly the worst thing you can do! Not only are you going to have to battle with yourself to find the  motivation to go, but you may as well just throw your money away because you certainly will end up wasting the hard-earned stuff when you eventually quit.

I would imagine that gym owners pretty much look like the guy above when New Year hits...Ca Ching! Yep, I've already seen so many new members in aid of these ambitious New Year resolutions...Taking up the bikes... clogging up the treadmills... I mean I wouldn't mind if they showed that they were serious but when you have people playing on their phones whilst half-heartedly cycling...It's just not going to happen really is it!

My advice, if you are contemplating the gym, is to ask for a membership trial. Most gyms offer a package whereby you can try out the gym for a little while for a small fee. This way you can gain a sense of whether it is going to be suitable for you and whether it's wise to invest in it. Personally, if you really hate it and you always try and put it off, I wouldn't bother signing...There's plenty of other activities, the gym isn't for everyone.

For me, I particularly enjoy exercise classes or group activities like Spinning, Zumba, Aerobics etc because I like having an instructor telling you what to do and the pressure of others around you. But I can see how again that might not be everyone's cup of tea...I know some might feel self-conscious with others being around and watching (although from experience, generally everyone is so busy doing the class themselves that there really isn't time to look at anyone else!)

Exercising is usually easier with a buddy. If you have a friend(s) who wants to get fit too then it's much more motivating to do it together. It can make group exercise less intimidating and can take the dullness out of the gym. You just have to be careful with who you select...You do not want someone who isn't serious about exercising and ends up chatting the whole time, because that will mean you too get less done and ultimately this makes achievement less likely!

Running or jogging is a popular FREE option. And yes, wouldn't we all like a body like that girl in the photo?!(unless of course you're a guy that is)... but call it inspiration if you will! The good thing about this exercise is that it provides a full body workout and is a pretty effective burner of those pesky calories. Additionally you can go for a run or a jog anytime you wish, so it's a good one for those of you with busy schedules.

Why not make a list of some of your planned changes. Perhaps not as long as that guys though! Do you have a weight goal? A dress size goal? What small changes do you plan to make to your diet? What exercise, however small, are you going to fit into your weekly schedule?

As always, I'd be interested to hear from you as to what you plan on doing. Tweet me! : @ellie1989 or leave a comment on this post!

I hope you found some of what I said useful or helpful in some way? I mean I'm not a professional or anything, just a girl that decided to get fit half way through 2012. But, I do have a little experience with how it all works now and I hope to motivate and inspire others with their goals...

Good luck everyone!!! I'm wishing you well. I have faith in you.

(I'll let you know my New Year resolutions when I've ironed them out a little...)