The biggest challenges that I see for people trying to stick to their New Years resolution is that they try to go too hard too fast!

There is nothing wrong with gradually increasing your activity, gradually changing your diet or gradually starting a new hobby. What does all of this do? It helps you to stick to your changes for a longer period of time, helps prevents relapses and in the case of exercise it helps with preventing injuries.

Remember the story of the tortoise and the Hair? Although there is some trickery involved – sometimes the slower can win the race.

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“The Tortoise and the Hare”, from an edition of Aesop’s Fables illustrated by Arthur Rackham, 1912 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tortoise_and_the_Hare#/media/File:Tortoise_and_hare_rackham.jpg)

Different small rules that you can look at and abide by in order to slowly increase your changes are

  • Diary
    • This will help you to be able to reflect on the changes that you’ve made – not only will it allow you to pace yourself, but at the end of the year it will also show you how far you have
  • 10%
    • This is an oldy but a goodie. Although there isn’t a whole lot of data to suggest that this is the best percentage increase when your increasing activity, it is a great way for you to slowly increase the amount of exercise your doing, in a standardised way. Try increase your activity by 10% every couple of weeks. This 10% should only be in one aspect – intensity, distance, weight etc.
  • Train with a friend
    • Although friends can be great motivators in getting you our there and sticking to your goals, they are also a great way to make you accountable for the amount that your doing. Get a friend who is at the same level as you – because lets be honest, its never fun to go out and train with people that are a heap faster or slower then you!

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Our Social Run Group out every Tuesday morning at 5.30am!

If you feel out of your depth with making changes then there are a number of people that you can chat too. If there are different nutrition questions that you have Katie our resident Dietitian will be able to answer them. If its anything to do with exercise or injuries then our Lissome team can help!

Our motto at Lissome is to keep people active, nimble and agile! We want you out there and living life – and we will do everything in our power to help you with it.

Related Tags: Sports Physiotherapist Gold Coast