January is over and with it, maybe some of those promises you made to yourself at the start of the year leaving you with a bag full of negative thoughts of failure. But don't despair as missing one or two or even a few exercise sessions doesn't mean failure and falling off the healthy eating wagon doesn't have to mean you have to give up and stop trying.
What it does most likely mean is that you set yourself unrealistic goals, it's easily done! We think we can do more than what we are physically and mentally capable of or realistically have time for. Here are my top tips for modifying the goals/promises you set yourself at the beginning of January.
1) Try and get a good night's sleep.
Try and go to bed at the same time every night, set the wheels in motion half an hour earlier than you want to be in bed, by the time you have completed your nighttime rituals and actually get into bed it will then be the time you intended it to be. Set a bedtime reminder on your phone 30 mins before and 15 mins before. When you have had a good nights sleep this will mean you are fresh for exercise and less likely to crave sugar or junk food.
2/ Write down clearly and precisely what you want to achieve.
3/ Be honest with yourself and realistic - you know you best of all and what you are likely to stick with
4/ Keep it simple
5/ Plan ahead
Schedule in your exercise on days when you are not so rushed off your feet you will be more likely to stick to it.
Cooking every night is not always possible and can mean you grab a takeaway or grab junk food because you don't feel like cooking.Plan a menu for the week, keep the meals healthy quick and simple. Do some batch cooking at the weekend or on your day off make double portions and freeze some or have some that day and you have some for another day too.
6/Treats.
Cutting out all treats is unrealistic and will leave you craving and thinking about them more! Cutting down slowly is going to allow you to stick to it knowing what days you can have the treat. write it in your diary if that helps.
7/ speak to a friend and ask them to do train or take on the healthier eating plan with you or ask a friend that is already eating healthily and exercising regularly to support you and go to the gym with you or share some recipes.
8/ Try some Personal Training sessions, invest in yourself and your health and get some professional support and advice on exercise and eating. Often enough it can be a few little changes that are needed in your diet to help aid weight loss.
9/Forgive yourself if you fall off the wagon
10/ Reward yourself at the end of each week when you have completed your weekly to do list. plan your reward ahead of time and get it in the diary so you have that to look forward to, you will be much more inclined to stick to your plan with a lovely reward at the end.
A trip to the cinema, a candlelit bubble bath, a massage, or just some you time whether its one hour or one day doing what suits you. It could be watching your fave tv show or a film that you know you'll love perhaps your partner won't and you've not had the chance to watch it, allocate that time for you, Make it happen, keep it fresh every week.