Don't be scared of January fitness goals

Introducing healthy eating and exercise into your routine needn't be a big drama, says Annie Deadman. Instead, opt for a series of small victories over the months ahead

- By Annie Deadman

Goals. Such an intimidating prospect, aren’t they? If you score, there’s a roar. If you miss, the crowd groans and boos. Well, we’re having none of that here. This month’s column is about collecting small wins, which can be easily tucked into a weekly routine without too much upheaval.

First up, exercise. And no, it doesn’t have to mean a lot of jumping about. Thirty minutes a day of low-level movement (walking, housework, gardening) is linked to a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Amazing, isn’t it? If we make 10 of those minutes a little more energetic, say power walking or swimming, maybe even jogging or a low-impact workout, then we’re really ramping things up without it taking over our lives.

Now, we need to strengthen our body. Strength training means contracting your muscles against a resistance force, which could be your body weight (think press-ups) or using dumb-bells. A couple of 20-minute doses per week, and that’s your exercise done.

If that’s enough for your 2024 ‘new healthy me’ plan, then great. But if losing weight so your clothes are more comfortable is part of your plan, it doesn’t have to be daunting either.

Let’s take Sandra. She wants to lose weight quietly. She wants to cut down on (and improve) her food intake without making life miserable.