In the wise words of Billy Ocean, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”.
This is all well and good but when your lungs are burning and your legs are on fire and your heart feels like it might burst, getting going (or rather keeping going) isn’t always that easy, no matter how tough you usually are. But don’t fret, help is at hand with these nifty mind-hacks to help spur you on to the finish… I'm sure we've all done the whole being 'really good' (aka crash dieting) before a holiday, only to return feeling sluggish, snug in those jeans and nowhere near as healthy as before we went away. BUT it doesn't have to be like this. Wouldn't it better to feel great before, during and after your time away?
It's possible. Two words: Damage control. Read on to find out more... Living in the UK means that if you don't get out in all weathers, often you don't get out. To all the people dedicated/ mental enough to go out in all weathers, this is for you. Not quite feeling it? Read on and see if you still feel that way by the end.
If you want to feel like you have a rocket up your rear to get you motivated to train, you should enter something nerve-wrackingly challenging. I'm only telling you this from experience.
We all know that exercise is good and blah blah blah, but sometimes we also need that extra little spark. Something to train for. Something to work towards. An even greater focus. On finishing her 12 Week Plan, Sophie took part in the Pretty Muddy Race For Life, Exeter. A pretty perfect way to end her first lot of sessions!
Sophie is now stronger, much fitter and more healthy than when she began and has decided to keep it up for the long term! Read on to hear Sophie's take on her past 12 Weeks... So you want to get in to running but not really sure what you're doing? Just started but find it a constant struggle and can't seem to get past it or improve?
Then this article is for you. A quick look into all the things you need to consider when starting out... ![]() Sarah's goals were to lose fat, tone up, get fit and to feel great in her body. She: - lost just over a stone - shed 20cm from her arms, waist, hips and thighs - got her blood pressure down - went from running one minute, walking one minute to being able to run MUCH longer and also take on some KILLER hills! - improved her muscular strength meaning she can now lift heavier and do more reps when it comes to squats, pushups etc. - followed the plan and thus her fitness is better than ever before! So you have your training plan, the kit you need and an important goal to work towards... Now you just have to put the time and effort in to actually get those sessions done. Simple!
Simple maybe, but not always easy when life happens and things get busy. BUT it is possible, especially with some simple strategies in place to make sure you can fit it all in and stay on track. So without further ado, here are my tips on making sure those workouts get done... It's June. That means the great British summer is upon us and we will all be sunbathing as much as possible, getting overly excited for barbecues and complaining about how hot it is (unless it's raining... which is also very likely).
Training in the summer time is slightly different to training in winter. Here are a few things to consider when the heat goes up and you still have your exercises to do: "I’ve never felt this fit and content in my own skin in my life! I really get a buzz from seeing my progress week on week and I like how I feel when I’ve completed a workout- my energy levels improve and I have such a sense of accomplishment.
In the beginning, I had lost some weight but was still overweight and was starting from scratch in terms of fitness. I'd never really enjoyed exercise all that much before, but I'd reached a point in my life where I needed to pull my finger out and take care of myself in order to properly take care of my family and the demands of caring for a special needs son. "Like most girls I have body hang ups.... I was conscious of my legs which I wanted to tone up, and I was also really conscious of the fact I was so unfit! I seriously lacked motivation and needed that extra push.
My first 2-3 weeks with Polly were great, I was motivated I was energized and full of positivity....but I will be honest there were a few weeks in the middle where I got tired. I was struggling more with the workouts as they were getting tougher, and I felt like I wasn't getting any better. But I stuck at it (mainly because Polly was good at motivating me and I'd always feel more positive after our weekly sessions). "I live between Cornwall and London so when I started with Polly I was dubious about how effective my programme would be due to not having PT sessions on a regular basis but just sticking to the plan she'd written out. However, I've been overwhelmed with the results!
On finishing her 12 Week Accelerator Plan, Alice filled out a review. Here is what she wrote:
Overall, how happy are you with your plan and the services offered? I'm so happy, in fact I couldn't be happier! I got more out of my plan than I ever imagined. Caroline felt rubbish, did not like what she saw in the mirror and felt uncomfortable in her clothes. Not Cool. She decided that she had to do something about it, not only for her physical health, but for her mental health as well.
During her plan she focused on balanced healthy eating which meant she still had chocolate and still enjoyed a few wines. She STILL lost weight steadily, she STILL got more muscle and STILL burnt more fat (ie she toned up) and she STILL managed to improve her running by miles. Here's her views on the last twelve weeks... We now have some amazing technology at our fingertips so we might as well make the most of it if it can make life easier. And the best part? Lots of these apps are FREE! Yay, everyone likes a freebie.
So without further ado, here is a list of some of the best apps out there to help you stick to your HYH plan and get the results you want... With winter here and the nights drawing in, it's easy to feel more 'Hell No' then 'Hell Yeah'. You're not alone.
If you feel your spirits drop around this time of the year, read on to find out what can help get through the long cold months with some sanity intact. Eating too much or too little, eating until stuffed, mindlessly snacking, choosing things in a hurry which are certainly not the healthiest options- If this sounds like you and what you're doing now isn't working, then it may be time to give meal planning a whirl.
I am a big advocate for meal planning. At times when I need more structure, I always fall back on this little trick. It takes me less than 2 minutes and saves me time and stress. There are many ways to make a meal plan and no 'wrong' way, so there is bound to be one to suit you. Eating all the right things but still not seeing results? You may be suffering from Portion Distortion. (Cue dramatic music... Dun dun duhhhhhh).
This is a common problem affecting many of us in this modern world of 'supersizing', bargain buys and dining out. It's not always easy to tread the line between eating enough and eating too much. As a teenager, I hated my body with a passion. I couldn't see that anyone else could be worse off than me and was totally obsessed with wishing it perfect. My body confidence didn't change whether I was fat or thin, because I would only ever see the 'bad' parts. I was miserable, ashamed to be me, and going out would take ages because nothing would ever look good enough.
However, with practice and patience, anyone can learn to not only accept what they have, but embrace it. It's ok to have goals BUT, it's also VERY ok to love where you're at right now. All Hell Yeah Healthy plans are 12 weeks long. Why? Because sustainable habits take time to program in and we're sick off crash diets which don't work anyway.
This is by no means a complete list, nor am I saying that you absolutely must do all six items otherwise you're doomed to failure. BUT I really do think these little things have helped and can help anyone. |
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