New Year New You - By Ger O’ Sullivan

Now that Christmas is upon us it seems like a good time to sort out some New Year resolutions. Remember that diary I suggested you should start keeping last month, well if you haven’t had the chance to start yet, now’s the time. Small simple steps between now and Christmas will help you look forward to a New Year with some added zest. The important thing to remember is do some physical exercise over the coming weeks. I’m not a real believer in New Year resolutions so don’t wait until then to get started. By starting an exercise routine now you are increasing your chances of actually sticking to your ‘new’ resolutions. How often do you hear of someone making all these great plans about ‘stuff’ they’re going to do in the New Year only to be left feeling disillusioned and dejected when their great plans don’t come to fruition. Remember the secret to a healthy body is a little exercise regularly. Just two or three exercise routines a week can help keep you in shape. These routines don’t have to be planned or organised - just start trying to fit them in to your everyday routine. By doing this you are effectively incorporating exercise into your daily life and making it part of your work/leisure routine. This is where your diary comes into practice and it can help you identify time wasted that could otherwise be spent looking after your health a bit more.

Check-Up

I think a good starting place for anybody beginning an exercise program or for even those who have been exercising is your doctor. Organise to see him/her in the next couple of weeks to discuss your exercise plans for the New Year. A good ‘once over’ every six months or so is important; especially for anyone who has had any previous medical condition or recent surgery. This will go a long way towards alleviating any fears you might have before putting your plans into action. Your doctor can carry out all the necessary tests and can advise you on what sort of exercise you should be doing. They may even advise against certain types of exercise depending on your specific requirements. Certain sports and exercise can have adverse effects on some people and this is why it’s important to consult your doctor and get expert advice and opinions before starting or increasing your exercise routine.
I think the Christmas holiday period is a great opportunity for catching up with old friends or maybe even meeting a few new ones. This is a great opportunity to meet someone you wouldn’t normally have the chance to meet up with and go for a walk and catch up on all the latest gossip. Walking is perhaps the most popular way for people to get fit and stay fit. For best results I would suggest three to four sessions per week of approximately twenty to thirty minutes. You don’t have to get all dressed up for this; just a decent pair of walking shoes will suffice. This walking can vary in moderation and intensity and can be increased as your fitness levels improve and you head into the spring. For those just starting, I would suggest two to three sessions per week of approximately ten to twenty minutes. Before I plan any exercise programme for a client I like to sit down with them and draw up a set of goals and objectives that can realistically be achieved. I prefer to have someone do small amounts of exercise regularly than do too much and to find out later that the routine was not suitable or sustainable.
The following are some simple steps to try and remember when establishing or increasing a fitness-training programme:
•Be realistic with what you want to achieve and the time you have available
•Start out slowly and increase the distance over a period of weeks
•Have adequate equipment for the exercise you are doing
•Remember two to three sessions of around twenty to thirty minutes every week will help keep you in shape
•Seek professional advice from a doctor before you begin your training programme
•Try to organise your exercise routine to fit into your lifestyle
•If you are training for a special event consult a fitness instructor
•Eat a variety of fresh vegetables, fruit and drink plenty of water
•Add variety to your exercise routine
•Incorporate a fun element into your exercise routine, for example get involved in some dance classes or yoga sessions

Planning Your Exercise Routine

The best time to exercise if at all possible is early morning and after a good night’s sleep, this is when the body is most alert. This can make a significant difference when trying to burn calories and lose weight. Don’t worry if you can’t manage this - finding the time to exercise at all is the most important factor. When doing a light to moderate exercise like walking, I would suggest, avoid eating too much before the walk. A bowl of porridge made from water, or a high fibre cereal bar is okay; however, it is preferable to exercise early in the morning and before breakfast.
This is when the body is at its most optimum and generally responds better to exercise. The aim of your walk should be to burn calories, lose the fat and tone muscle. When we eat too much before exercise, especially exercise of short duration and low intensity our bodies tend to draw on carbohydrates (fuel) from the food and this means that our metabolism is not working effectively on burning calories and the breaking down of fat cells. Exercise before the consumption of food (about two hours) means the body begins to draw on its energy reserves and this speeds up the whole process of fat and calorie burning.
Most people like to do a variety of exercise and this depends on your likes and dislikes. If you are simply out to get fit and stay healthy a bit of walking or swimming will do the job. If you want something more specific like toning and strengthening your muscles you’ll have to consider a variety of exercise routines. For example, if you want to tone the thigh muscles (quadriceps) cycling or hill walking would be an excellent choice. Cycling is a great way to get fit and tone the muscles in the lower part of the body. Cycling is also an excellent exercise for anybody overweight and who suffers from any arthritic problems.
Unlike running, cycling is a low impact sport and does not put the body under the same stress and strain as running. Cycling outdoors is best, but if weather doesn’t permit, then find your nearest gym and start spinning. This is a recent phenomenon to sweep across the fitness world and basically means sitting on a stationary bicycle and pedalling away without actually going any where in the process. Spinning can be fun and a great way to keep fit, but remember only get involved in spinning when you feel your fitness levels are improving. Hill walking or power walking is another great way of toning muscles and burning calories. Don’t get put off by the name of the exercise. It’s all about starting small and building the exercise programme as you go along. Also, hill walking provides a great opportunity to get all the family involved and can be great craic! Wherever you live I’m sure there’s a beautiful spot not too far and this can be planned now for a day over the Christmas holidays…so get the maps out now and start planning a great day out with the family. Bring a packed lunch and some hot beverages and start breathing in all that clean fresh air and fantastic scenery.

Now is also a good time to look up local clubs in your area; there might be something that takes your fancy. Look out for all those great classes starting in the New Year. Local papers and community notice boards are a great source of information for this sort of thing. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the activities and classes now being offered. Everything from Belly Dancing to Tai Chi. So remember, a small bit of planning now for your fitness routine can make all those New Year resolutions a reality. Enjoy the Christmas festivities and look after the body!!!

Ger O’Sullivan BA.Dev.LMT. IMTA.is a fitness training and development coach and has over twenty years experience of coaching and competing. Ger can be contacted for individual and group coaching and development at all levels. If you would like to contact Ger or if you would like to suggest an idea for an article in our Fitness Matters Pages you can email gmosullivan@eircom.net
Tel: 086 377 3173. Sports Therapy Massage also available