THIS is the time of year where everybody gets serious about health and fitness and sets resolutions and goals.

To help you stick with your goals for the New Year, whether it is running a marathon, losing a stone, getting back to a size 14 or not drinking alcohol during the week; here personal trainer Mike Fitzgerald’s How To guide….

Choose one, and stick with it

Set only one new resolution and give it your all. Too many different (and possibly conflicting) goals will interrupt each other. Take it one at a time.

Treat it as a usual goal and break it down into smaller parts

If you’ve always wanted to run a marathon you can break it down so you will run a 10k by April, a half marathon by June and a full marathon by October. This helps keep you focused on an achievable challenge.

Write your goal down and put it somewhere that you can see it

Your phone’s screensaver is perfect. Make sure you write it in a confident tone – “I WILL be a size 16 by June, and a size 14 by August”

Get help with your resolution

Ask people you know who have done similar things, ask a fitness professional if it’s exercise based, ask your manager if it is career based etc.

Finally…. start now!

I mean right now, spend the next 10 minutes researching your goal. That way you’ve started and will have some knowledge of what it is you are getting yourself in for.

You will get to your destination. Start now.

Happy New Year

Personal trainer Mike covers Greenwich, Blackheath, Lewisham, Woolwich, Bexleyheath, Bexley, Dartford, Sidcup, Welling and Chislehurst. Find out more at mikefitzpersonaltraining.com