Wednesday 25 January 2017

A Different Take On New Year Resolutions

So during the festive period we spend two weeks expanding our stomach; from selection boxes to stinky cheese, anything goes. I know this all too well as I fancied some Yule log the day after Boxing Day... for Breakfast!


After the fortnight of expansion, we don't just return to normal eating, we have the tendency to go completely the other way and deprive ourselves. No more 'Junk food', far fewer calories and restriction at every turn.


Then comes the new training routine; something copied from a C-list celebrity, a six-day-a-week plan, when you normally train on two or three days (on a good week). Then include the cold mornings and the darkness at 4pm, and we wonder why the system doesn't last.


What could we actually achieve if we switched our mentality, started more slowly and continued to eat to satisfy our needs? What if we did a little less exercise than we needed to, so we actually wanted to return again for the next workout?


Going full throttle for two weeks only to return to our normal ways or even less than before doesn't work; slow and steady with consistent application always wins. Be the tortoise not the hare!


I've stripped back my intensity in the New Year. I've taken weight off the bar to improve my form. I've added in less sets but more mobility work to address the niggles. I'm eating to support my training rather than going without.


If you're unsure, seek advice from a trainer who can tailor a programme for you - don't 'go in blind'!


Remember to commit; make the commitment small to start with and increase your goals as your confidence grows.


Happy New Year,


Oli.