Get back in shape!

Losing weight and getting into shape is well within your grasp this year and we are dedicated to helping you get there.

Here are eight things you might like to think about if you are going to make 2011 your year!

Get Started

We’ve heard every excuse there is (and a few you haven’t thought of yet): the dog didn’t eat your trainers, a note from your mum is no longer valid and you haven’t emigrated to Fiji (much as you may like to).

The biggest thing with weight loss and exercise - the biggest thing with most things actually - is getting started. It really is that simple. So, if you haven’t been to your LA fitness club since Christmas let’s get your 2011 programme up and running!

Calories

Weight loss theories may come and go but one thing never changes: If you burn more calories than you consume you will lose weight.

The really good news is that just burning a few more calories every day can add up to some really impressive weight loss over a period of a few months.

Playground

With this in mind, try thinking of the gym as Weight Loss Central and the rest of your world as one big exercise playground.

If you can work out at the club three or more times a week that’s great, but as little as 10 minutes of additional exercise on most days will make a real impact on the amount of fat you burn. 

So look for opportunities to burn a few extra calories where you can - walking, swimming, gardening, cycling, Wii fit, skipping (whatever you enjoy doing) - you’ll be surprised how much more weight you can lose.

Strength

When you are in the gym make sure you put some strength training into your programme. You don’t have to spend hours - it’s quality not quantity that counts - one good set with a challenging weight beats three easy sets every time.

To make your weight training even more efficient, try these tips:

1. Exercise the big muscle groups first (legs, chest etc.) and then the smaller ones (biceps, triceps and so on).

2. Use some compound movements, like squats and lunges, that work multiple body parts - they burn more calories than exercises that focus on just one muscle group. Ask our coaches for help with these.

3. If you are going to do more than one set on each exercise, reducing the rest time between each set will help to burn more fat.

Short & Sharp

Short bursts of high intensity cardio exercise are a great way to go if you want to burn more calories.

For example, rather than doing 10 minutes at a steady pace on the bike you might like to do five lots of one minute at close-to-maximum effort, with a 60 seconds recovery (keep pedalling but at a slower pace) in between. You can apply this strategy to all of the cardio equipment.

Try using this kind of workout as an occasional alternative to your regular routine or you can train this way most of the time if you like.

This kind of programme can be a little more demanding so make sure you check with one of our coaches before you get into it.

Goals

Want to know the secret of success with New Year’s resolutions? All the current research says that the chances of achieving your objectives increase dramatically if you set just one compelling goal and then break it down into a series of smaller steps.

If you want to lose a stone make that your sole focus; break it down into monthly chunks - one or two pounds a week is about right - and then figure out what you need to do, exercise and diet-wise, to get there.

By the way, weight loss goals don’t have to be in pounds, they can be measured in inches, clothes sizes - whatever works best for you. And, of course, general fitness goals come in all shapes and sizes too.

Just remember, whatever your goal is, we will help you to get there.

Fun

Your body is a lot smarter than you think and if you keep feeding it the same old exercise routine it will pretty quickly figure out how to expend less energy to get the job done - and you’ll be left wondering why you aren’t hitting your goals.

Here’s what you do: Every now and again go into the gym with no set idea of what you want to achieve and just play for an hour. If there’s a piece of equipment you haven’t used, ask our coaches to show you how. Do your weights and cardio in a different order. Play around on a BOSU ball for a while. Try a Crew Class or do a few laps in the pool. Whatever works for you!

Keep your body guessing by trying something different occasionally - and have fun doing it.

Mind Games

Regular exercise is a lifetime commitment not a short-term fix, so you need to understand and accept that you will fall off the fitness wagon every now and again.

How many times you fall off said wagon really doesn’t matter, it’s how many times you get back on again that counts.

One thing is for sure: If you listen to that little voice in your head that says, “You’ll never do this,” you’ll eventually begin to believe it, and quit.

Next time you hear the voice (you know the one), try shrinking it down to a tiny high-pitched whine and then fading it out altogether - works a treat.

Oh, and by the way, just starting an exercise programme makes you a success - most people never get that far.

And if it all gets too much remember not to take yourself too seriously, tomorrow is always another day.