MAKE A PLEDGE
Steady effort the key in winning the weight loss war
THAT time is again on us – the new year has dawned and we emerge groggy from a food coma to realise that our pants don’t fit.
Traditionally this is a time when gyms are packed with the steely-eyed and resolute – all determined to follow through with their January commitments to self improve. Fast forward eight weeks and tumbleweeds roll through the once-crowded weight rooms and group classes.
So what is the secret to cinching those resolutions? It turns out, there is no magic formula – just stick with it.
Lodestar Fitness personal trainer Kylie McLaughlin says small steps are the key.
“The best thing is to be consistent,” Ms McLaughlin said.
“I have told my clients to start thinking about what they want to do and what goals they want to achieve.”
She said those who put steady effort day in day out over the long haul always had better results than the firebreathing hard chargers who gave up when easy body changes plateaued out and the going got tough.
“The ones that I have seen that stay on are the ones who realise and accept that this is a lifestyle change,” Ms McLaughlin said.
“They see small improvements like an extra push-up or greater strength or get positive comments from those around them.”
Then there is diet. Yes, no way around it. If you want to change shape, you've got to eat well.
The trainer at Grafton Street’s Your Fitness said the often-touted ratio of 80 per cent eating, 20 per cent exercise was on the money.
“Eating clean is definitely the hardest part,” she said,
“You can’t get the results by just exercising and you can’t change your shape just through diet. “It is a combined effort.” The Cancer Council suggests new year is an ideal time to make a decision to get on top of cancer screening.
“The new year is the perfect time to set a date and get checked – it just might save your life,” a council spokesman said. “Get to know yourself. When it comes to cancer, in most cases the earlier it is detected, the better. This is because finding cancer early can increase the likelihood of successful treatment.”