"Workout
Boosters "
As
the cold weather draws in, it's easy to let summer fitness resolutions slip.
Keep your motivation up with these top tips from Johanna Legh.
Find yourself a workout buddy
'Exercising with a partner of roughly equal fitness and ability can really help make a workout go faster, and help you stick to your exercise regime,' says sports psychologist Andy Barton of The Sporting Mind in London (www.thesportingmind.com). 'A partner can also inspire you to push yourself harder when your energy is flagging. But it's important to pick the right person - if they're much fitter than you, then you may feel demoralised, but if they're not fit enough, you won't be inspired to perform.'
If you fin it hard to meet like-minded souls, consider joining a sport-specific club. They usually provide structured sessions and drills. Competing against yourself also works well, says Barton. 'Monitor your improvements by seeing how much further or faster you get over a set period, or how many more repetitions you can manage in the gym.'
Train your brain
Mind over matter really is crucial for a successful workout, so start by reminding yourself that it's worth it! Exercise-induced endorphin levels drop after just two or three days of non-activity, reducing mood and energy and making you less inclined to work out. If you miss three or four sessions you'll start to lose physical fitness, making the routine harder the next time you go back. After about two weeks, you'll be 15 per cent less fit than you were when you stopped.
'For most people, it's not the workout itself which is the problem, but the peripheral things, such as cold changing rooms, that puts them off exercising,' says Barton. 'You know you'll enjoy it and feel better once you get there, so keep a positive commentary in your head and don't allow yourself to go down the "should I or shouldn't I?" route,' he says - since it can be easy to talk yourself out of it.
Goal-setting, such as entering a race or getting bikini-ready for a holiday also works well, as long as you choose an achievable goal and monitor your progress along the way.
Johanna Legh
