Where do I start?
GETTING YOUR NEW YEAR’S FITNESS PLAN ON TRACK
If you have pegged 2018 as the year to get in shape, that’s great! But where do we go without a plan? If you are new to the gym, or trying to find a new level of fitness, it can be tough to know where to begin. So… depending on your current level of fitness, what follows is some advice to make sure you start 2018 breathing some fire and charging hard toward your fitness goals!
BEGINNER
If you are new to the gym, what you need to do is simple. JUST SHOW UP. Again and again and again… Be consistent.
- You could also attend group exercise classes to keep the motivation going.
- Find a buddy and head there together. You can feed off one another’s energy as well as the other people in the class.
- Be sure to drink at least a half-litre of water before leaving the house.
- Have some packaged veggies to snack on throughout the day so you can avoid sugary-carb-loaded cravings.
GYM REGULAR
Do you have a routine, but haven’t been seeing any gains or if you are stuck on a plateau? Switch it up. It’s going to be all about variety for you in 2018.
Throw in a HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) session – preferably in a group class to start. Get fired up with the support of the class around you! Classes add variety and intensity.
CARDIO LOVER?
If you spend most of your fitness time doing cardio (running or on the elliptical), add some strength training.
WEIGHT LOVER?
If you are doing higher reps, try to find a weight that will allow you to complete 8-10 reps before you can’t do any more. Focus on power through the exercise rather than just endurance.
EVERYONE
Build a Vision board. What do you want your year to look like? How do you want to look and feel one year from today? Throw up some pictures of what you want your future to look like and keep it visible!
Stretch! Who has time for it? You Do! That is if you want to prevent injury, increase mobility and achieve power throughout your full range of motion!
2018 could be your best fitness year yet! Just keep the end in mind – imagine where you want to be in one year and keep it visible. Depending on where you are, the next step is just to start. Make the change, be the change, then see the change!
