When I work with clients, I like to sit down and talk to them about their goals, what is really driving them to get fitter and stronger? What was the trigger that made them want to change their lives? And where do they see themselves a month, a year and a decade from now?

Setting and Maintain Goals

Before your start your journey to a fitter, healthier, happier, stronger you. Sit down with a notepad and jot down what it is you’d like to achieve - in the long and short term. For some of you this will take moments, you will instantly know that you want to loose X amounts of pounds around your middle or become healthier so you can play with your kids. Others of you it might be the case that you have to create a goal. Remember that your goal needs to be personal to you - you need to have ownership. It’s no point having someone else’s goals or you will eventually lack motivation to achieve it. REMEMBER no goal is too small. If all you want to do is to feel happier about yourself then that is a brilliant goal too.

Give yourself rewards - when you meet mini-milestones, congratulate yourself with some new clothes and nice meal out etc.

Be aware that along the way there are bound to be times when your motivation dips and you ‘fall of the wagon’. Even the most motivated and aspirational exercisers periodically hit these low points when they begin to question what and why they are doing something. Work through this, because i promise in the end it will be worth it.

Motivational Tips

Here are my top tips to help you stay focused and on track:

1. Remember your drivers: The starting point of achievevent is your desire, the drivers that lead you to accept this challenge. Keep that in mind.

2. Prioritise yourself: lots of people fail to do this on a regular basis. You too deserve nothing but the best so focus on nourishing yourself well, support yourself with sleep and recoverfy and empower yourself in the process. That way you can perform at your optimum levels.

3. Small steps and small victories are key: your long term goal can seem unattainable - and sometimes overwhelming. It is good to have them, but make sure you keep yourself focused along the way by challenging yourself with small goals.

4. Be consistent: don't panic if you have to miss a workout - however, don’t make it a habit! Consistency is key to fitness and strength gains for you to progress and achieve the body you desire.

5. Take time to reflect: sef reflection is an important mental exercise that can help you grow and I encourage all of my clients to spend 5 to 10 minutes sitting back a reflect their mind in a positive direction and you will give yourself the opportunity to flourish. 

6. Don’t over look recovery:  exercise is a stimulus for body imporvement, but success comes from the way we recover. Find ways and means to assist your won recover through meditation, yoga or just sitting down reading a book.

7. Get enough sleep: sleep is where we re-energise, recover and re-establish many of our body responses. Being able to consistently get enough sleep (7+ hours for most people) is essential both for these reasons but also to keep you motivated. When you are tired, you will lack the energy and drive to exercise to to follow your diet plan. Make sure you get enough.

8. Start the week determine, finish the week strong: This can really help break down your overall goal into manageable chunks of seven days of activity. And if you’ve had a bad weekend, you can get yourself straight back on track Monday morning.

9. Manage your time effectively: time is precious and valuable - once you’ve wasted it you can’t get it back. On average you’ll have 2,400 minutes to yourself each week. So much can be achieved in that time if you manage it well and let go of everything you don’t want or need to do. Use your time well.

10. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes: always remember that no matter how many setbacks and how many mistakes you make along the way, you are still way ahead of anyone who isn’t trying to improve.