Achieve Your 2019 Fitness Goals!

The New Year is finally here, and if like me you’ve overindulged on alcohol and pigs in blankets over the festive period then you may be considering making a fitness based resolution for the year ahead. The good news is there are plenty of fantastic facilities in Perthshire to help you to achieve your goals. The bad news is that when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, more often than not they end in failure!

However, that doesn’t have to be the case and if you follow some of these tips when you get to work on your fitness goals then you can make a big success of your resolution. The first things you need to consider are; what are you looking to achieve? And what is your timeframe for achieving your goals?

When you’re considering your fitness goals, it’s important to be realistic with what you’re expecting to achieve. For example, if you have never run a mile in your life and your New Year’s resolution is to train for a marathon this year then chances are you’re going to fail. When you’re considering your fitness goals, it’s important to be realistic with what you’re expecting to achieve. A better approach would be to start with small steps, with an ultimate end goal of running a marathon in the next few years. Starting with something like the couch to 5K programme – would be a great place to take your first steps.

Setting small, achievable goals will result in you being more likely to continue your fitness journey and will keep you motivated. Even then, it’s important to understand that you may encounter setbacks along the way. Whether it’s a slight injury or even just something like the flu, setbacks happen and it’s vital that you don’t let that be an excuse for giving up on your goals. If you suffer a setback, try to adjust your timeframe accordingly so that your goals are still realistic and achievable.

Enjoyment is key to successful resolutions as well. If you’re looking to lose weight but you can’t stand going to the gym, then why not try a fitness class, swimming or running? Or you could also try one of the many sports clubs in Perthshire, such as golf or tennis as an alternative to the gym or fitness classes.

You should also continually remind yourself about the benefits of what you are doing. If you’re losing weight because you feel unfit or because you feel like your health or quality of life is being impacted, then remind yourself that what you’re doing is a positive lifestyle change. If you’re looking to train for a physical challenge in aid of a charity, then keep telling yourself that what you’re going to do and the money you raise will change people’s lives. It’s important to keep your motivation high in order to achieve your goals.

GALLERY

If your goals do involve getting yourself into the gym then in order to increase your chances of success, you want to make sure you know what you’re doing. It’s well worth speaking to the experts at the gym you attend, or if you have the funds available perhaps getting yourself some personal training sessions to get you started. Most gyms and fitness clubs will offer you a tailored programme as part of your membership, and for a small fee a specialised diet plan to match your training goals.

There are lots of great smartphone apps to keep you motivated and keep you on the right track too. Whether it’s notifications telling you it’s time to train or go for a run, or keeping track of your progression and being able to tweak your training programme at the touch of a button – your phone could be an additional tool you can use to help you make a success of your resolution. Read our previous fitness article with some of the top fitness apps for Apple and Android devices here.

A poll by YouGov in 2017 found that at least 63% of us will fail when it comes to our resolutions and of that number, 66% have given up before the end of January! If you want to avoid becoming one of those statistics, then follow some of the advice from this article. Be realistic, set miniature goals on the way to achieving your ultimate goal, have fun and keep yourself motivated. That will give you the best possible chance of being successful.

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Live Active Leisure has facilities throughout Perthshire which can cater for your fitness needs. Visit their website for details on classes, memberships and events which may inspire you to get fit throughout 2019.