REVITALISE IN THE NEW YEAR

To many, a new year is a fresh start to living the life we want to live. Let go of the past, enjoy the present and do not worry about the future. Know that you have a special gift that no one has and try to share that gift with people you love and those who are around you. The journey requires the best of us in terms of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Never aim for perfection, because nobody is perfect. But be the best version of yourself.

If you are just about to get into fitness, it’s never too late. Here are some tips I can share with you to kick start the year off right:

1. Start PLANNING: Running a 10 kilometre distance or lifting heavy weight like what you see in the magazine are products of hard work and consistency. Work on your SMART goals.

Specific- Your goal should be clear and easy to understand.

Measurable- How will you track your progress and how you will know when you have reached your goal? Making your goal measurable means adding a number.

Attainable- Before you can add a number, you have to know how high or low you want to go. It’s good to “shoot for the stars,” but don’t be too extreme. Likewise, a goal that is too easy is also not very motivating. Only you know your limits.

Relevant- set goals that are important to where you are in your life right now. Don’t set a goal that someone else is pressuring you to attain — that isn’t very motivating.

Time bound- Include an end-point. Knowing that you have a deadline motivates you to get started.

What is your SMART goal?

• I will walk five days every week for 30 minutes each.

• I will drink water instead of soda every day this week.

• I will bring my lunch to work instead of eating out four days this week.

2. Start MOVING: If inactivity was part of your dictionary last year, cross it out!

According to John Hopkins Medicine,

• Less active and less fit people have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

• Physical activity can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.

• Physically active people are less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who are inactive. This is even after researchers accounted for smoking, alcohol use, and diet.

• Lack of physical activity can add to feelings of anxiety and depression.

• Physical inactivity may increase the risk of certain cancers.

• Physically active overweight or obese people significantly reduced their risk for disease with regular physical activity. • Older adults who are physically active can reduce their risk for falls and improve their ability to do daily activities.

3. Start EASY:

This will help you start with regular fitness workout programmes. Some exercise can be done three times per week;

• Easy walk for 20-30 minutes.

• Body weight exercises like squats, lunges, pushups, abdominal crunches (do 10 repetitions twice).

• Stretching of major muscle groups — legs, arms, torso.

We should all be ready to move for health and to adopt healthy and active lifestyles. The habit of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a nutritious diet ideally begins in childhood and we hope that parents and schools everywhere will try to spread this message. And this, I hope, is not only on the wish list every New Year’s

Physical inactivity, along with increased tobacco use and poor diet and nutrition, are increasingly becoming part of today’s lifestyle leading to the rapid rise of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity.

It’s never too late. Let’s all move for a healthier lifestyle!