5 Top tips to help you maintain your fitness goals in 2024

My background

I have been a personal trainer for 13 years and before that I was a group exercise instructor. In this time I have worked with hundreds of different personalities and individuals. After a few years I started to notice a common pattern amongst the clients i was training and that was; they found it hard to manage their lifestyle away from fitness. Many clients would find themselves in a repetitive cycle of achieving their short term fitness goals, only to lose them shortly after and have to start all over again from the beginning. I found that the clients who stayed in regular contact with me  sending pictures of their food and checking in several times a month,  were the clients who seemed to achieve more consistent and sustainable results.

1. Making positive changes to your Lifestyle

Living in London in the hustle & bustle of the city, people are always busy and have limited free time so it is difficult for them to prepare or even cook fresh food. This usually leads to them snacking on foods poor in nutritional value or high in sugar. People also like to order takeaway food for convenience, which again unfortunately is usually high in hydrogenated fats and lacking in vitamins and minerals that the body needs. It is important that you actively make changes to your lifestyle to allow more time for preparation of fresh food, get more sleep and choose to drink less alcohol/drinks high in sugar. If you can shift towards a more active and healthy lifestyle, you are more likely to achieve the goals you set in your fitness journey.

2.Goal setting

Goal setting is perhaps one of the best forms of maintaining motivation during any period of training. Short term goals can give you an immediate target to focus on giving you the satisfaction of achievement once complete. long term goals will give you your overall vision and what you want to accomplish from the training programme.

Setting goals helps trigger new behaviors,  guides your focus and helps you to sustain momentum. When you reach your goals, tick them off against your list and make new ones.

3. Nutritional plan/guide

The food we consume plays a key role in how we look and feel. Regular exercise is important but according to scientific research, nutrition has the greatest impact on our fitness.

The trend is now to focus on healthy food intake as a primary fitness goal leading to healthier, happier and more confident individuals. This will also  decrease the potential risk of people becoming seriously ill.

4. A Well structured training plan

Compiling your own or buying a well structured fitness programme is an essential component in order for you to achieve your fitness goals. A well balanced routine will ensure that you are training at the right frequency, the right intensity and using the most appropriate type of training at any given point during your training cycle. This will help your body obtain the maximum benefits possible from the exercise, but  also keep you from becoming bored and disinterested in training. Another key aspect of having a well structured training programme is to prevent the client from becoming injured through poor technique(s) or exercise selection.

I have created an Online training programme called 'Back to Basics' to help those seeking professional guidance.

5. Staying hydrated

Many people underestimate the importance of hydration. The human body is made up of approximately 70% water and has many integral roles in the body such as removing waste, lubricating joints and regulating body temperature.

There is no exact amount of water each individual should be consuming each day, but approximately 2-3 litres is a good amount.