New Year // Getting Fit, Setting Goals & Maintaining Motivation

The new year often means a new found determination to get fit and healthy for many people. It can be quite empowering to take on a new fitness class, start running and cook healthy meals from scratch but unfortunately many people 'run out of steam' so to speak a few weeks in. Today I am sharing a few of my tips to help you get fit, stay fit, be happy and maintain that motivation!

Set mini goals // Rather than over challenge yourself why not set a mini goal? If you are new to cooking healthy ease yourself into it. Set yourself the task of trying one new recipe a week. Or if you have just taken up running why not enter into a local race? It will not only give you a target but completing that race will keep you motivated to improve and keep on going! If you are in the UK the Sport Relief Mile is a great place to start, they have a range of distances to challenge yourself with and you can also raise some money for amazing charities along the way.

Start your day off right // Don't reach for your phone as soon as you wake up. Start the day with a simple meditation and be grateful for all the good things in your life. Sitting in stillness will help to start your day off with positivity and power.

Focus on what makes you feel good // Fallen in love with running? Great, run your heart out! Tried running but dislike it? Find something that you do love. Try a dance class, a spin class or my personal favourite ~ a yoga class. Find out what makes you tick, what your passion is. That way you are much more likely to stick with your fitness routine.

Buddy up! // The support of friends is invaluable, you can motivate one another and lift each other up. It is really helpful if you can work together to maintain the positive change. Don't have a friend close by? Become accountable on Instagram. This is a personal favourite of mine, I post daily pictures of my workouts and meals to keep myself accountable and it also helps to motivate others!

Repetition creates change // In order to make a permanent change to your life you need to keep repeating the same patterns. I used to hate getting up on the morning, never mind to get up and complete a workout before 8am! What made it stick for me was consistency, you need to train your body and your brain to view your new resolution as a habit. By doing this you will maintain your own motivation and motivate others with your ability to stick with your resolution.