Make 2020 your best yet!

Who is ready to make this year, your year?

So all the hype and excitement of Christmas is over, most of us have probably eaten to our heart’s content and the ever more popular Veganuary is upon us. Yes, it is exactly as it sounds- where many of us choose to ‘go vegan’ for a month. However if you are not quite ready to smash Veganuary, there are many other simple, practical, yet challenging alternatives to help us get fit and really feel fabulous. 

1)Go VEGGIE! 

This one may not be for all, but for those who have toyed around with the idea of trying Veganuary but can’t quite fathom cutting out all eggs and dairy, going veggie and giving your body a break from meat for a month, may be just what you need to cleanse your system and reset after the Christmas feasts. 

2)Dry January

This is a popular one amongst my clients who have usually enjoyed a few too many tipples or two over the festive season, to give them a break and detox our systems. A far healthier (yet maybe not as enjoyable!) alternative would be to focus on increasing water intake instead of popping open a bottle, and I promise you, you really will feel much better for it in the long run! 

3)Go SUGAR-FREE!

In a world with an ever increasing number of sugary treats, and especially after the typical Christmas sweet treat over-indulgence, this is a great one to try to really cleanse our bodies of sugar so we are not only healthier, but to also break the sugar addiction and to control our appetites. 

Remember, going sugar free not only means cutting out the chocolates, biscuits and cakes, but also being aware of controlling the intake of natural sugars found in fruits.

4)The 30 day PLANK challenge

Although may sound like a killer to some, it really is a case of practise makes perfect. Bounding out of bed in the morning into a plank may hurt like hell on day 1, but by day 30, without a doubt you will feel stronger, boast a harder core and be able to hold your planks for longer. The fab thing is, EVERYONE can plank without needing any extra equipment or any kind of gym membership. 

So, for the challenge; on Day 1 simply start with a 20 second plank. Repeat a few times if you can. Then add 5 seconds to your plank every day and by the end of 30 days, hey presto, you’ll be planking for almost 3 minutes!

5) Sunday food prep

This is one that I personally undertake religiously on a weekly basis and the impact has been HUGE. My reason for this revolves around trying to fit in a healthy early evening meal for the new addition to our family when the time between nursery pick up and bath and bedtime is so tight. Without a doubt, preparing healthy balanced meals packed full of vegetables and lots of ‘good stuff’ so they are ready to bung in the oven or chuck in the pan saves a lot of time, and definitely helps us to eat healthier as a family. Not to mention the money saved on the weekly food bill (shopping with a list made from meal planning is so much more economical than shopping on a hungry belly listless!). 

6) Firmer bottom in 30 days

Sounds great right? & definitely one that many of my clients desire…

There are just 3 simple exercises for this challenge: squats, lunges and half bridges. We start Day 1 with 10 repetitions of each (10 lunges for each leg) Then after the first week, you can increase each exercise by 10 reps, and maybe add 10 more on week 3, and another 10 for week 4.

Consistency is the key here and you’ll be amazed at your new peachy back side!

7) 30 day water detox

This is one that I have tried several times in the past and from first hand experience, I can say without a doubt works wonders, not only for our health, but also aesthetically for glowy skin, shiny hair and healthy nails. Although this sounds easy, preparation is the key here. Either stocking up on 2 litre bottles to get through as a minimum every day, or timing the water intake so knowing how much we should have drunk before morning break, lunch and dinner time. If not, even with the best intention in the world, in our daily hectic lives, it is oh so easy to forget to pick up the water bottle. 

For those not quite ready to give Veganuary a go, why not try one or more of the above. I’d love to hear how it goes on Instagram or Facebook (Tag me @ambitionpersonaltraining). 

Put some Ambition back in your life!