Amidst the snowy deluge of a brutally frosted British December, Summer is but a moribund memory, seemingly belonging to a different planet (or Sydney in the case of my shots here!). Bikinis and/or trunks are consigned to a forgotten section of the wardrobe and instead, it’s acceptable to hide under countless layers of knitted misc. The commercialized ‘beach body’ frenzy is over; we feel as though we can relax, without the pressure to get naked! It’s also a time when we naturally eat and/or drink a little more than we otherwise would; t’is festive season leading up to Christmas…
For that reason, I say TRAIN NOW; this way whatever excess you’re consuming, at least you’re burning it off at the gym! Furthermore, you’re establishing a fitness routine now rather than leaving it to January, when going cold turkey will feel like a tragic uphill struggle. By the time the equally commercialized ‘new year new you’ fallacy comes around, you’ll already have a strong, regular thing going on; new year, same you! BTW, I don’t subscribe to the January frenzy, instead I believe healthy is a lifestyle choice all year round! This post contains a few 101 tips to get started, right now!
Without sounding like the Grinch I’m all for engaging with festivities; mince pies and mulled wine are some of life’s most wonderful gifts! BUT to avoid starting the year on a bad note, feeling overwhelming guilt the sense of futility, why not start now?!
To help you with goal setting I’ve written lots of tips about this HERE.
If you’re completely new to training and thinking ‘where do I even begin’, my advice would be not to over-think the process. There are a million different ‘rules’ and techniques you can pursue, but at a high level, training really can be pretty straightforward.
101 OF TRAINING – KEEPING IT SIMPLE!
– Keep it challenging. Always push yourself when it starts to get easy; you want to leave feeling that you’ve fatigued and challenged yourself, that you gave your all.
– Always ensure to pursue good technique and form. Don’t be afraid to ask one of the trainers in your gym whether you’re doing it right; that’s what they’re there for, and it will benefit your body disproportionately to ask!
– Start with body weight exercises and once that feels easy, introduce some light free weights.
– Engage with your bread and butter training. The classic exercises are classic for a reason. Think squats, lunges, deadlifts, bench press, dumbbell flies, lat-pulldown, seated rows etc.
– Start with a straightforward, easy split routine 3 times a week. Day 1: Chest and biceps. Day 3: Legs. Day 5 Back and triceps. Then repeat the following week.
– Make sure to include rest/recovery days in between each session
– Always warm up and stretch after every session
– Eat within an hour after each session.
– Abs are made in the kitchen. Cut out junk food.
– AND if you’re feeling like something festive then enjoy those treats in moderation; accept it, don’t feel guilty but perhaps see it as extra fuel to work even harder at the gym!
Finally, besides all of that, make the small every day changes first, while your body gets used to the idea. Remember, any change is better than what you are doing right now. It is possible! Just start today—you will thank yourself in a few months!
Faya x
