When considering the many factors that impact on our health and wellbeing it can be hard to decide where and even when to begin. For a lot of people that decisive moment will be here, in the form of New Year’s Resolutions. But, just how do you sustain the concept for the coming months and beyond?

Drop-Off: You may be beginning an exercise program or changing your exercise and lifestyle habits.  All too often the good intentions shown are not sustained for one reason or another.  Typically, this is due to not getting the desired results, getting injured, lack of enjoyment and importantly, the irrelevance of the exercise program to the function of the individual.

Here are a few tips on succeeding in beginning, reaching and sustaining your optimum health in the New Year and beyond:

1. Prioritise areas of your health that need addressing.  This could be diet, exercise, sports training, or rehabilitation.  Your program should be specific to you.
2. Time Investment: Decide on a realistic amount of time you can dedicate to your training.  Everybody is different.  Just take manageable steps in the right direction.
3. Initial Over Training: Too much training at the beginning could lead to injury, fatigue, immune system suppression and boredom.  You need to be able to sustain these changes long term and you can always progress in the future.
4. Train Functionally:  You must train for the purpose of performing the activities in your daily life free from injury and ill health.  This could include DIY, carrying heavy bags, manual labour or sport.  Therefore, most of your exercises will be Total Body exercises.
5. Correct your Posture: Poor posture can lead to aches, pains, injuries and dysfunction.  Poor spinal alignment can even cause digestive dysfunction, so make sure you always consider your posture during movement and exercise.
6. Learning about you:  When we can’t see why we are doing something, it will often impair our interest and enjoyment of it.  Know why you are performing any of the changes you make to your lifestyle.  Try not to follow generic, one-size-fits-all programs.
7. Avoid Fad/Extreme Diets because you will not be supplying your body with the required nutrients, any results will be short lived and you may even cause damage to your body.
8. Metabolic Typing Diet:  Find out your metabolic type and eat accordingly.  This will enable you to attain and maintain your ideal body weight and cure many ailments.  This is not an extreme diet and is based on the scientific principle that as individuals we have specific nutritional requirements.
9. Eat Organic: Organic food is free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers, which cause damage and infections in your digestive system
10. Quality: However frequently you exercise, make sure it is quality.  If you exercise with poor technique your body will learn it that way, causing problems like reduced performance, injury and poor posture.

Good luck with any changes that you make and remember to consult your physician.

Take the next step now and contact one of our exercise specialists for advice and support.

This article was originally published in The Journal, January 2007. Read more articles by Jack Walton, Functional Trainer.