6 tips to stay motivated with your health and fitness goals

Kelly says “introducing small, manageable workouts and using any opportunity to incorporate some form of activity into your day will quickly turn into a habit your body will thank you for.”

Don’t underestimate incidental exercise like parking your car further away or exercising in the ad breaks of your favourite TV show.

Top tips to keep you motivated:

1. Set your alarm clock 30 minutes earlier and go for a morning walk

Starting the day with a walk will help clear your mind, get you moving and set you up for the day ahead. You should also find it easier to make healthier choices throughout the day if you’ve exercised in the morning.

2. Daily organisation is the key

If you’re planning early morning exercise, make sure you’ve organised your breakfast to give yourself the best possible start to the day. Prepare oats or muesli the night before as a quick and healthy breakfast.

3. Find a workout buddy

Working out with a friend makes exercise more enjoyable and often keeps you more accountable, especially if you share the goals you’ve set for yourselves. That way, you can encourage one another to keep going if your motivation starts to fall away.

4. Balance your mind and body

To help manage your stress levels, try a lower impact and mindfulness exercise, like yoga or pilates, as part of your regular exercise routine. These are gentle on your body and allow you to focus on the balance between your mind and body. Even try using a wellness and mindfulness app, such as Calm, The Mindfulness App or Daily Yoga, to guide you through meditation and yoga poses and help calm and clear your mind.

5. Take time out to stretch

Stretching and gently working your body in slow flowing movements helps to ease any built up stress and tension. Be conscious of your breathing and try to work on being in the moment and letting go of any negative or stressful thoughts.

6. Keep good, wholesome food in your home

Eliminate any temptations, especially when you’re first starting to change your eating and nutritional habits. As the warmer months bring more social events that often lead to excess eating and drinking, try to make the best choices possible and have healthy substitutes on hand. Swap those chips and crackers for some veggie sticks and fruit skewers. Choose raw nuts over the salted variety and make your own snack trail mix. Mix your alcoholic drinks with soda water rather than calorie-loaded soft drinks.