The end of another year is upon us and as ever it becomes a great opportunity to reflect upon the achievements as well as the failures that have shaped the past 12 months; ultimately creating another chapter in your life.

Ask yourself these questions…….

What am I most proud of? What could I have done better?

Have I grown physically, emotionally, and spiritually in the last year?

Did I try something different, daring, something I never imagined possible?

Have I really pushed myself to achieve more? If not then what’s stopping me?

These are just a few of the many powerful questions we can ask ourselves to determine whether this year has been the most successful yet. Whatever the answer may be we all want a positive approach to the New Year ahead. Make 2018 the year you become the bolder, brighter and better version of you.

Whether you are an experienced gym goer, a beginner or even someone who hasn’t quite started on their healthy lifestyle journey yet; these tips will ensure you get off to a great start in the New Year.

Set meaningful goals

On the 1st of January every year we make a firm commitment to making a positive lifestyle change, the truth is that 90% of the time this lasts no longer than a few weeks into the New Year! This isn’t to say your intentions aren’t good but unless you have a clear vision and a plan of what you want you really want to achieve then it is difficult to stay on that righteous path.

Firstly you need to ensure that you make your goals inspirational and challenging but also realistic.

Have a real purpose for achieving these goals by attaching a strong emotional feeling.

Write down your goals and emotions to bring clarity and maintain focus.

Finally…….never lose sight of your goal! Keep reinforcing the positive feelings of why you set out on this journey in the first place. If you are able do this then staying on the straight and narrow becomes a much easier job!

Consistency is the key

You have set your goals and your plan clearly defines how you are going to achieve them, now it’s time to commit to these changes and take action!

The journey towards your new lifestyle will bring about challenges both mentally and physically. In order to overcome the difficulties that are thrust upon you daily and to achieve a successful outcome you need to have determination, hard work and perseverance in abundance. Any goal worth achieving will take time so be patient and remain steadfast no matter what life throws at you!

‘Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out’

Robert collier

Reward yourself…….sensibly 

In order to reach your goals there will be sacrifices you have to make, but it isn’t just about giving things up! You can enjoy the fruits of your labour by choosing to reward yourself when certain milestones are reached.

This is a great tool to use as part of the goal setting process because it generates greater motivation and encouragement for you to succeed.

You must ensure however that the rewards you set are realistic and fit in with your goals; for example if you manage to reach a target weight you certainly shouldn’t be planning on scoffing a whole triple chocolate cake as a pat on the back! Instead you could buy that dress in the size that you always wanted, plan a meal out a nice restaurant (minus the triple chocolate cake!) or treat yourself to a spa weekend for all the hard work you’ve put in.

Rewards allow you to enjoy the small triumphs and will provide you with that justification to continue pushing forwards. A bit of help to make the whole process more enjoyable can only be a good thing right?!

Don’t stop believin’

Hold on to the feelin’………..can’t beat a good power ballad. This can be the biggest obstacle you face but if you can succeed in believing in yourself then I guarantee you can succeed at anything else you put your mind to.

Demolish your self-doubt and other people’s perceptions by approaching challenges with a positive determination. No matter what the outcome is, it is important that YOU enjoy the challenges and the journey that lies ahead.

Believing in yourself is all about having faith in your ability. You are going to do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams and aspirations even if other people doubt you.

Surround yourself with a close circle of family and friends that feed you with positive energy, fill you with confidence and truly believe in you. It also makes sense to seek out the expertise of a fitness professional whose job it is to support, educate and motivate you. Let us take on the worry and stress about planning and preparation; you just get stuck in to the plans and do what needs to be done. We’re actually pretty good at what we do so wouldn’t you want us on your side?!

‘Our lives are determined not by the number of times that we fall down but by the number of times we get up’

Eat clean, train dirty 

In order to produce the optimum response from your body it is important to combine a structured nutrition plan alongside a solid training regime.

It’s safe to say a good nutritional programme is the core foundation to a healthy lifestyle. The importance of having the right balance of macronutrients and micronutrients in a calorie controlled plan cannot be understated. Your focus should be to ensure your body is healthy and that you are functioning optimally. This in turn will allow you to achieve your body composition or performance related goals.

Fitness is a personal thing! You need to be training in an environment and in such a way that your mind and your body will respond positively to. There isn’t necessarily a perfect method in which to do this but if you’re able to find a consistent routine that brings out the best in you then the results will come.

There are many benefits you can get from exercise such as weight loss, increased muscle tone, improved heart and lung function, increased metabolism, improved sleep patterns, reduction in back pain, increase in energy levels…..….I could go on and on but you get the idea. Get your body moving and your mind energised………simple!

We are hugely passionate about the services we provide and the people we work with here at 10x fitness. The benefits of living a healthy and active lifestyle are endless, that is why I have no hesitation in saying that ANYONE can exercise no matter what! Incorporating exercise into your lifestyle will have an extraordinary impact not just on your health but also other areas of your life so

Now is a great time to reset your internal clocks, re-calibrate your settings, and re-chart your course. No matter what the outcome of your reflections for 2017 remember the past does not equal the future, you have the opportunity to write your own story and embark on an amazing journey in 2018! Now go out there and make it happen!

Kev