Keeping fit doesn’t have to cost a fortune. If you can’t afford a gym, or can’t find time to go to one, keep up the momentum with great ideas at home that don’t cost much.
Experts offer the following tips:
RUN TO THE BEAT Create a playlist on your iPod as music is a great motivator to get you working out. Picking the right music can have several benefits. It increases your efficiency. Music can also help stop the nagging in your brain asking you to quit by distracting you.
JOIN FORCES Set up a Facebook page and encourage your friends to join in and post about their workouts and tips – this is a great way to keep you and your friends motivated.
PERSONAL BEST Do your own fitness test before you get started. This could be as simple as timing how long it takes you to walk a mile or how many jumping squats you can do. This will give you something to measure your fitness against – by the end of January you should be amazed by the results!
COMMIT TO A GOAL This can be something as simple as aiming to work out four times a week for exactly one month or fitting into those hot pants. This will give you something to strive for.
LESS IS MORE Don’t think you have to spend an hour working out; you can still have a highly effective training session by doing 20 minutes of training.
MIX IT UP Look online, find some fun new exercises to tone different areas you want to keep sculpted – this will keep your workouts more interesting. Fun is an important part of a successful exercise programme. It is easy to focus on creating exercise programmes that are safe and effective and forget that the ingredient of fun is often what makes the difference between a programme that gets off track and one that lasts.
LOSE THE EXCUSES Be tough on yourself and don’t take no for an answer. You have to put in the effort to reap the rewards.
MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA Create your own little fitness motto and repeat this to yourself several times each day.
BE EXCITED! Remember that it doesn’t matter so much what you do, but that you get and stay active. Choose workouts that excite you…and stick to your programme! Now is the best time to give yourself an amazing fit healthy body! Just do it!