John Maitland
- Jan 31, 2022
- 5 min read

January 2022 Monthly Round-Up

Welcome to the New Year! Hopefully, 2022 has started with new goals, new challenges and exciting prospects as we look forward to the year ahead. It has been a busy start to the year here (it seems to be busy all the time these days!) with new classes starting - more on that in a bit - and lots of planning for the faithful aFitnessPT clientele. So many people begin January with a renewed air of enthusiasm and drive so it is important for trainers to match that. Planning and preparation are key to successful client journeys so time spent doing these is time well spent. Anyway, enough about me...let's see what's new!

Many people seem to have embraced the idea of getting into an exercise routine with gyms busier than normal and an increased interest in Personal Training which is lovely to see! It is important to continue this newly found motivation, so below I have listed 3 Tips, 2 News pieces and 1 Interesting article to help you maintain your motivation and stay on your journey.

Three Great Tips:

Tip #1. Set yourself a short-term goal

Most of the reasons people give up on their exercise programme is a perceived, or real, lack of progress. This could be due to a variety of issues from incorrect programming, lack of guidance or unrealistic expectations - sorry, but you won't transform your physique in 4 weeks! - so measures have to be in place to avoid this pitfall.

The easiest way to do this is to set a short-term SMART goal. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound. The goal you set yourself for the next 4-6 weeks should be all of those things. A specific goal defines a clear outcome. A measurable goal makes it easy to quantify success. An attainable goal is realistic and honest. A relevant goal will be unique to you in helping you in your life, work or sport. A time-bound goal sets a clear deadline.

Setting your goal as "I want to lose weight" is too fluffy; it will get you nowhere. Instead, saying "I want to lose 3kg of body fat in 6 weeks" gives you a clear metric to set a plan of action and measure your success. Be SMART!!

Tip #2. Get others involved

It is easy to give up if you only let yourself down. The draw of an extra hour in bed or time spent sitting in front of the telly can become too much if we only have to fight with our internal motivation systems.

This is why it helps to involve other people in your fitness journey. This doesn't necessarily mean getting other people to join you in your workouts - though this is a great way to stay motivated. Simply telling as many people as possible about what you are trying to achieve keeps you accountable to lots of people and increases your foundation of support.

Share the love. Tell as many people as you feel comfortable with about your SMART goal!

Tip #3. Put some money on it

People tend to value things more if they cost more. So, whilst it is a cliche to get a whole new gym outfit for the new year or splash out on that new fitness gadget you've wanted, adding value to your fitness journey means that you will take it more seriously...hopefully! A new pair of trainers, a fancy fitness tracker or a block of Personal Training sessions should be a good place to start!

Two News Pieces:

If you are looking for motivation then a great place to start is with this piece from The Asahi Shimbun where we meet Takimika, a fitness instructor still going strong at 90 years of age! Starting her fitness journey at the age of 65 she then progressed to a fitness instructor at 87 years old. No more excuses now!

This piece explores the question "Can fitness apps be as effective as a personal trainer?" I'll answer that one, no. Apps are cheaper and more convenient, but no app can ever replace the human connection you get from exercising with another person or the expertise of a trained eye. I might be slightly biased in my answer...