10 Ways to Make Your Life Better... For FREE!!!

Do these things and have a better life - easy as that:

1) Exercise (it was always going to be number 1!)
Exercise more and increase self confidence, enjoy gains both aesthetically and through improving strength. Release endorphins and INSTANTLY improve mood, reduce the chance of injuries and lessen the strains and efforts of every day life. Whatever you choose to do, do SOMETHING!

2) Exercise Outdoors
Now you've chosen to exercise, do it outdoors! You get to see more of the world and not just a UV-lit gym. Increase your Vitamin D intake as a result, improve liver and kidney function while further improving your mood.

3) Sleep more
Easy right? Then do it! Allow your body repair time it deserves. Lower cortisol levels (that cheeky hormone that can encourage fat retention around the abdomen) and yet again, improve your mood!

4) Turn it up
Be more active. Take your ordinary day, REALLY assess it, realise where you're wasting time and then be more productive with your everyday life. Cut the stuff you don't need, be more proactive with the time you have and get more done in your day. Be ruthless

5)Turn it off
Remove yourself from regular life when you're resting. Take time without electronic devices and ways of communicating with others. Have some "me time". Whether it's at bed time or just taking a walk alone, separate yourself from everything and everyone from time to time. If you don't think this is practical, think about your lunch hour. Take a 40 minute walk all by yourself, come back and eat your lunch and just notice how much better and more productive you feel for a)being active and b) taking yourself away from everything

6) Get some structure
Phrases like "where has the time/year gone?" and "I don't have time to..." "I'm too busy for..." are regularly used. But... what if you had a little more structure. If you plan out your days, time is much less likely to run away with you. If you leave it to chance, the chances are it'll go wrong. Start simple: every Sunday look ahead and know exactly what you're going to eat over the next 5 days, when you're going to exercise and EXACTLY what you're going to do when you exercise. Then, just stick to that - no excuses!

7) Have a timeline - set goals
So now you have your week structured, it's time to think longer term. Why not set out a timeline for the next few years? Start with "C" and then figure out what "A+B" needs to be. IE: Write a list of everything you want to have achieved in 3 years time, then work backwards and set shorter, time sensitive goals along the way which will mean you can't FAIL to reach your target. Then, write it down and look at it... LOADS! Leave it somewhere you'll see it a lot!

8) Surround yourself with positive people
Take a good look at the people you spend most of your time with. Friends, colleagues etc. Are they positive and driven people? Do they have similar goals and beliefs and outlook on life to you? If the answer is "No" these aren't the people that will help you be the person you want to be.

9) Stretch 
Static stretching, foam rolling and dynamic movements such as those in some pilates classes are are great ways to stay not just strong, but mobile and injury free. You'll ache less, feel more flexible and it can also be a great way to relax and relieve stress.

10) Be nice to people
Just be nice to people! Smile at people, say "sorry", help others, give up some of your time and don't expect anything in return. Their life will be better as a result and so will yours. It's simple but true. Today's target: Smile at 5 strangers. Not in a "lets meet up" kinda way, just a polite "Hi, enjoy your day" way. Some people might not smile back instantly but even those miserable lot are LOVING it inside secretly!

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Set yourself realistic goals...

As a personal trainer I often have to spend time with clients setting tangible goals in order to make sure that we're working together, moving in the same direction and making progress towards where they want to be and not just training for the sake of training. I often find that some of this time is spent reigning in their unrealistic expectations.

Don't get me wrong, it's not just those that are new to the gym who may suffer from this; there are many people that should take a moment to think about their goals and whether or not they match up realistically to their exercise regime.

Here's a few examples...

"I want it yesterday"
In the past year, I've had plenty of people ask for help with things such as a "bikini body" a few weeks before their holiday or significant weight loss just weeks before their wedding. While it's possible to alter the body in just a few weeks, always ask yourself "How long has it taken to get out of shape?" The answer, most likely, if a number of years. Truthfully, it'll probably take you at least this time to get back into shape unless your diet an training both take a dramatic u-turn! Remember, health and fitness is a lifestyle, not a short-term effort.

"I want to look like him/her"
"Him" or "her" is usually a celebrity or a cover model. In which case, getting into shape like that has been their full-time focus in most instances. They've probably applied a lot of time, effort and money into looking this way. Taking advantage of things such as daily personal training sessions, dietitians, personal chefs, multiple training sessions each day day and professional medical and recovery assistance (physiotherapy, massage etc) takes both time and money and probably isn't arranged around a 9-5 job, unlike your gym sessions. Many celebrities have made extreme changes to their body through diet and exercise; but, it's hard to imagine the effort, time and dedication taken to do this. If it's not your full-time job it's probably best (in most cases) to aim your sites at something a little more attainable.

"I need to lose half of me"
I've had some outrageous requests from larger women looking to lose around 50% of their overall body weight, to already toned women suggesting "another stone (14lbs) would do". Either way, it's important to look at your current body make-up, from overall body weight, muscle mass and boy fat percentage before setting yourself any weight loss targets. I wouldn't advise setting the same targets as a friend unless you both have a very similar structure.

"A friend of mine did..."
Men and women alike can be very envious of their friends. Often seeing a friend get "in shape" and receive the accolades of friends and work colleagues is enough to spur other to improve themselves. This is great, but don't use your friends successes as a yard-stick for your own accomplishments for two main reasons. Firstly, your friend might be completely different to you in terms of their original body structure, metabolic rate, muscle mass etc. Therefore, the two of you are likely to react differently to the same exercise regime. The second reason being, some people can be very modest or understated about their successes in weight loss; often attributing it to reasons such as "I joined a gym" or "I started going running". The likelihood is, if they've had a significant change in a very short time they've done a great deal more than this, including a strict focus on their diet.

"I want to lift 'X'..." (following on from the above)
Wait a second. Just make sure that your strength goals are in line with your capabilities. Sure you may like to focus on one area, but don't expect huge strength gains week-on-week. It's a long old process this getting stronger thing. Also, make sure that you're not competing with people of a completely different body weight, the heavier of you should be lifting heavier weights in ratio to your weight difference. I.e: If you're 75kg and your training partner is 105kg and you're both using the same weights, your buddy needs to up their game!

"I'm going to come every day"
Even less realistic (which I've heard is) "Can I come twice in a day?" Yeah go for it... just not yet. If you've had a significant time away from the gym get back in to it a little slower than this. Your body will need longer to repair and if you're going to get anything from your initial gym visits, a lack of rest will negate all of your hard work. You'll be in so much discomfort while lacking results for all f your hard work and inevitably just become disgruntled with exercise and pack it in again. New Year's Resolution syndrome! Start with 2 visits per week initially and soon increase to 3, and then 4. Rome wasn't built in a day and nor will your perfect body be.

"Will protein shakes help?.."
To some degree "yes". But they are a supplement and should be used as just that. A way of supplementing an area of your diet which lacks (in this case, protein). They are NOT a solution nor a replacement for hard work and a good diet. Don't buy a tub of Whey protein and wonder why you don't look like the guy or girl on the front once it's finished. There are a LOT of brands available and many designed for different reasons; if you're unsure seek some professional help before purchasing.

"I used to..."
That's the only part of your sentence that's important. You "USED TO"... but you stopped or something stopped you, so we're starting again. Whenever I hear this, I tell people "I used to be able to put both of my feet in my mouth, but things change!"

Just because you've done it before, doesn't mean you can do it again. Sorry that sounds negative but your 6-pack as a 16 yer old might not get back to how it was now you're 46. Don't get disheartened by it, just move the goal posts a little and set yourself a more realistic goal.


DON'T GET ME WRONG...
We should all still train with purpose and set ourselves targets. Just perhaps, it's time to move the goal posts a little. If you're a 45 year old guy chasing your 6-pack from your teenage years, maybe just concentrate on cutting some body fat and building other areasof your upper body to compensate your new found body fat. If you're from an athletic background, don't aim to beat personal bests set years ago. Instead look to increase your current standard by a few percentage at a time.

I'm not saying that you should sell yourself short in terms of your exercise aspirations. In fact, almost the opposite. If you commit fully to it and give it your all, the human body is capable of almost ANYTHING!Go for it - reach for the stars! Just don't be surprised if you try your hardest and still fall at the clouds. Be proud of what you HAVE achieved!

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