We’re just a few days into the new year and it’s given people a fresh new outlook on fitness and wellbeing goals. But if you need some extra motivation to not let those ambitions fall by the wayside, we got the help of personal trainer and former Bachelor Sam Wood. Sam, who is the creator of 28 By Sam Wood and now baby daddy with fiancée Snezana Markoski, says it’s still possible to indulge a little but only if you’re willing to set some ground rules.
Here, Sam, 37, shares his top tips for avoiding overindulgence.
Make morning workouts a priority
For most of the year, our lives have structure and routine – but that often goes out the window during the holidays.
“When people lose their structure, workouts disappear,” Sam explains.
To counteract this, he recommends getting active in the morning.
“Social events tend to revolve around lunches and dinners,” he says. “So if you can exercise in the morning, you’re already ahead of the curve, rather than chasing your tail.”
The couple that trains together, stays together.
Choose your moment to party
When your calendar is filled with celebratory events, your usual diet is quickly replaced with calorie-rich foods and alcohol.
To enjoy the party season without overdoing it, Sam recommends looking closely at your calendar.
“If there are six events on in a week, choose the ones where you’ll let your hair down,” he says. “For the others, just drink water and drive [home]. Also, try to have a good, healthy dinner before you go to a function, so you don’t wind up eating hundreds of canapés.”
These two love training together!
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION NO-NOS
Being impatient
“A lot of people want to undo 10 years of neglect in under a month,” Sam says. “If you really want to make progress, set short, realistic goals and then make a broader aim to be in a good place by the middle or end of 2018.”
Unsafe exercise routines
“If you go too hard with your fitness after having done nothing, you’ll get sore and might even get injured,” Sam says. “Mentally, your brain will also be thinking, ‘I can’t sustain this’ – so you end up giving up before you’ve really started.”
Lack of planning
“People think that just because it’s January 1, things are going to be different,” Sam says. “Look at your environment, set goals and have a plan to achieve them. That way, there’s a much more realistic chance of success.”
