February 2016

Fitness
you will fail occasionally but that doesn’t mean
you will not succeed in the end.
Enjoy a drink
Here we are talking quality not quantity. Enjoy one
glass of a nice wine (or beer) rather than chug a
bottle of something cheap and nasty. It means
you drink less and perhaps enjoy it more.
Take a photo of yourself in your underwear
Take a picture and then – depending on your
confidence and living arrangements – either tuck
it away somewhere private or print it out and
stick it on the bedroom mirror. Research in Spain
found that those who took regular pictures found
it hugely motivating because they could literally
see the changes in the body.
Sign up for the Hackney half-marathon
If you need a goal to help drive your training, sign
up for the Hackney Half on Sunday, 8 May. There
are plenty of running plans online (Bupa do great,
free ones). If you are looking for a good cause,
St Joseph's Hospice, on Mare Street, are building
a team for the day. You can apply for a place
through their website, stjh.org.uk/hackney or sign
up at runhackney.com
Roger Love, personal
trainer, gives some tips on
how to keep your new year
of fitness going
As the weather closes in and the demands of
work and family chase away your New Year
resolve, it’s time for you to dig in and consolidate
your 2016 health regime. Here are six ideas to
help you.
Don’t beat yourself up
If you miss a workout or let a sneaky drink pull
you off the wagon of dry January, don’t be too
hard on yourself – and don’t give up. Accept that
Set a new goal
Your first goal was to train once a week. Now,
you can set a new one. It could be a specific
outcome, say to lose 3cm off your waist, or to add
a second session. To try something different, how
about a visit to Mile End Climbing Wall, afterdark
swimming at the Lido, or badminton at the
Britannia Leisure Centre?
Improve your sleep
Lack of sleep can affect hormones and that could
interfere with the weight loss process and make
you crave higher-calorie foods. You can track your
sleep with a fitness monitor that you wear – and
start to make changes by keeping your room cool
and turning off your phone (or put it on airplane
mode). Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep.
Roger Love is a personal trainer based in Netil House,
Hackney.
hackneypt.com
26 LOVEEAST