Forgo the festive flab. Start working on that summer body now!

How many of us at this time of year think to ourselves hmmmm… I may as well wait until the new year to get fit, go on a diet, lose weight. It’s almost like giving yourself the green light to just go for it and eat whatever you want. The nights are longer, the weather is colder, let’s face it, all you want to do is curl up on the sofa with a big bag of maltesers. Mmmmm….

​No! Stop! Don’t do it! This whole idea of ‘starting afresh’ in the new year is closely linked to the classic diet binge/purge mentality. You know you’re starting a diet in a week...month...year and so you think “Sod it! I'll pig out now before the diet starts.” The trouble is DIETS DON’T WORK! If they did, you would only ever diet once.

Diets don’t work because, even if you do lose weight, it all piles back on once you stop the diet. It’s just not sustainable. What you need is a lifestyle change that enables you to lose weight naturally and to maintain that weight loss without having to count calories, starve yourself and feel miserable.

​Small, progressive, consistent changes that make a real impact on, not only your weight and appearance, but also your health and the way you feel. Changes that you can maintain, not just for a few weeks or months to fit into those old jeans, but for your entire lifetime.

For me, being fit and healthy is not just about exercise. Exercise is great but you can’t outrun a bad diet and unhealthy way of life. Equally important is what you’re putting into your body, how much sleep you get and how you manage your stress levels. All of these things combined equate to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. The hard truth of the matter is, there’s no quick fix. It’s a continual process and you need to be committed. But once you get started and feel the benefits, you just won’t want to stop. So don’t wait till after Christmas. Summer bodies are built in winter. Start now, hit the ground running in January and sprint towards an amazing summer!

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