At the beginning of every New Year there is a sudden surge in efforts to get fit and healthy across all types of people. The funny thing is, that most people give up after January, as they generally aren’t fussed about fitness, but have guilt about their indulgencies of the festive period. For those who actually want to live a healthier life all year round but struggling to maintain a pattern, this post is for you. For some people, myself included, life gets in the way and disrupts our plans for staying fit and healthy every day. In January especially it can be difficult for many reasons such as the weather making it difficult to get to the gym or limiting our options for exercise. To help you get on top of this read this advice guide.
Don’t Let January guilt Defeat You
January is a difficult month for everyone. In Glasgow this year we have had a lot of snow and depending on where you live, the roads have been quite treacherous for some time meaning that it is actual dangerous for some people to get to their local gym. I can’t speak for everyone but in my gym there isn’t a lot of space as it is, in January the place is unusually full meaning I have to wait my turn to use machines and sometimes my workout is interrupted as other people are in the way or using the equipment I need. This lengthens the overall time I have to spend at the gym, which with my busy schedule, does not suit. Unfortunately for me living in a first floor flat, I feel guilty working out at home due to the noise it might create for neighbours below. What I’ve learned over the years is to not let the January guilt consume me. I go to the gym and work out because I want to live healthily all year round, not because I feel bad about eating and drinking more over Christmas. I also like to enjoy my workouts, so in January when the aforementioned circumstances make workouts difficult I don’t get too upset for giving it a miss. I actually think of February as my fresh start as the gym empties again and I’m hoping by then the weather will have thawed out meaning I can get to and from the gym without any hassle.
Don’t Constrict Your Eating Habits to Pure Misery
I’ve learned over the years that constricting my diet too much always results in a binging fest, followed by reluctance to diet again. You should start off by changing little things in your eating habits and stick to that until it becomes a natural part of your routine. An example of easy things to start with is have no chocolate or crisps (or whatever your indulgence is) Monday through Thursday. Or it could be to have a salad so many times per week. Once you get used to the first change add a new one. What I’ve realised first hand is sugar is addictive and the less I have of it, although very difficult at first due to cravings, the less I feel I want to eat it. I still treat myself often but have been eating very healthy for several years now and I’ve actually seen myself feel ill after a takeaway that I used to demolish no problem in the past. It does get easier over time, so stick with it and don’t make too many changes all at once as you will struggle to keep up.