Be Successful This New Year

1. Develop a routine

To reach your health and fitness goals you should try and create some good habits and develop a routine you can stick to. Set aside a specific time during your week to go to the gym, to go for a run or to do yoga. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to try that High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) class at your gym, but 6 am sounded too early. Try it out anyway and if it’s bearable, see if you can make it a habit!

Exercising first thing in the day is energising and can set you up for the day ahead. But whatever it is, schedule it into your week like you would anything else.

2. Preparation is key to success

Being prepared is vital when it comes to eating healthily. For example, if you don’t have lunch and snacks already prepared and at easy access, you are more likely to make unhealthy choices. Developing a meal prepping routine is a great idea if you want to stay on track. Try out some of these tips:

Go grocery shopping on Sunday and prep your meals for the week.
Whip up some Quick Protein Balls for snacks and pre-prepare salads for the week.
Measure out your supplements for the next day and pack them in your gym bag.
Use a calorie counting app (like MyFitnessPal) to plan your meals so you can hit your macro and calorie targets.

3. Up your water intake

Freshen up by getting plenty of water into your system and flushing out those nasty toxins. Being dehydrated can make you feel lousy and tired. So drink up as it’ll improve your energy levels and it’s also great for your skin.

Each day your body loses around two litres of water just through natural bodily functions, so it’s essential to replenish it, even more so during strenuous exercise. If you get bored of the taste try adding some BCAA Recovery for flavour and all-important amino acids.

4. Embrace the outdoors

Incorporate some outside activities into your week for a change of scenery.

Studies have shown that exercising outside has some great health benefits such as boosting your Vitamin D levels and improving your mood. You’re also likely to be more active if you are outdoors. So perhaps a run or HIIT session outside might just be the change that you need.

5. Join a social sports club

Exercise is always more fun when you’re a part of a team!

Consider joining a social sports team as it’ll allow you to make new connections with like-minded people and you can sweat it out together. Popular choices are netball, touch football or even martial arts.

You’re also less likely to pike on training when you’re feeling lazy if it’s as a part of a team sport. No one wants to let their team down!

Learning new skills and making new friends is sure to be fun and a great challenge to take on during the year.

6. Put your goals into writing

Have you tried writing down your plans and goals? Well, research suggests that you should.

A diary is a fantastic tool for planning your days so you can fit everything in. This is also a good tip for tracking your progress at the gym. Write down your weights and times so you can keep track of your progress and can aim to improve each week. If you feel foolish taking a diary to the gym, try creating notes on your phone. Then they’re always with you.

Either way, writing it out and planning your steps to success are excellent ways to stay on track!

7. Take time out for yourself

Don’t forget to leave some time for relaxing and doing exactly what you want to do. Maybe you love to unwind at night by watching your favourite TV show or reading a book. It’s important to let your mind (and body) relax from time to time. So, don’t forget about yourself.

Life can get busy and stressful, which makes it easy to fall off the training bandwagon. So allow yourself some ‘me time’ and prevent any hiccups on your road to success.

8. Be in it 100 per cent

Although it may sound cliché, you should go for every opportunity that interests you. Believe in yourself and that you can do it because it’s self-doubt that lies between you and success. Start believing that you can hit that PR squat, the 30-inch box jump or whatever challenge lies ahead, and you will get there!

Good luck. Hopefully, now your new year fitness goals will make it past the 17th of January!

Ellie’s an absolute copywriting boss and amateur powerlifter

Ellie Hearn

Ellie’s an absolute copywriting boss from Hobart, Tasmania!

She's an amateur powerlifter who's crushed it in several competitions, and she's got all the keto knowledge to keep her fuelled up for her workouts.

One thing you'll always find in Ellie's pantry is a jar of peanut butter - she's obsessed.

More about Ellie Hearn

References:

Harvard Health. 2020. A Prescription For Better Health: Go Alfresco - Harvard Health. [online] Available at: A Prescription For Better Health: Go Alfresco.