Progress report: How was your first week?

Congratulations - you have survived your first week of training!

You might have blisters on your feet from the trainers you got for Christmas, your calves

probably ache all over and muscles that you didn’t even know existed burn like the sun,

but you’ve got through it.

We aren’t going to lie, the first week of training can be tough. Forcing muscles that have

been hibernating over the last few months to jump into action while developing a new

routine can seem like a challenge at first, but trust us it gets easier and it is definitely

worth it! You’ve already started and that is the hardest step to take.

Whether you have been hitting the gym, running outside or trying a new activity, after

your first week of training you should have got a feel for what your new routine will look

like for the next few weeks, before you start to mix things up. Hopefully you have had

your gym induction and are familiar with all of the various pieces of equipment so that

you can start to try new things and build up a programme that works for you.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself during the first week, as it really is the starting

point for your new routine. If you push yourself too hard at first, you are at risk of injuring

yourself, which will set you back even longer.

If you are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the exercise you’re doing, or are

worried about pulling a muscle and hurting yourself, then consider implementing a lower-

intensity exercise such as yoga. Yoga is much more than just stretching, it combines

strength movements and poses to elongate muscles, helping to reduce the risk of injury

and improve strength and flexibility. It is the balance between body and mind which

makes yoga incredibly relaxing and aims to reduce stress while improving physical

wellbeing. Yoga is increasingly popular with sports players and many professionals

accredit it as their secret weapon to avoiding injury.

MOTIVATIONAL TIPS FOR WEEK 1

EXERCISE:

Working out can seem like the last thing you want to do when it’s cold and

dark outside. Before you make the decision about whether to go to the gym or not get

changed into your gym clothes and put something warm over the top of it. Chances are

once you are in your kit you’ll feel much more motivated to go instead of staying in sitting

on the sofa.

DIET:

It’s easy to fall off the wagon at this time of year, as many of us are still eating the

rest of the festive food in the fridge. The key to sticking to your diet is preparation. Plan a

list of nutritious and healthy meals that you are going to make for next week and buy all

of the ingredients for them so you have no excuse not to cook them. Stock up on healthy

snacks like nuts and fruit to avoid giving into temptation when the need to snack strikes

you.

If you want a more in-depth analysis of how you’re progressing, book a session with one

of our experienced personal trainers. They can monitor your progress and create an

individual fitness and diet routine for you. Contact us here to arrange an appointment

today.