January is the month that many of us use to get our health in order following a slightly gluttonous Christmas period, and if you have ever been to a gym in January then you will know all too well about this. Last year I decided to make a real sea change in terms of my lifestyle and I was fortunate enough to count on my friend and personal trainer Bharat Bhise to help me out. The tips and plan that Bharat gave me really worked, so much so that this January, I have very little to worry about. If you are getting started with a new health regime, these are the tips which helped me out so much, thanks to my good friend Bharat. 

Diet First 

No matter how much working out you do, it is impossible to exercise your way out of a bad diet, which is why this is the first place to start. Exercise will of course help you to slim down but you must first focus on ensuring that you have a great eating plan which you are sticking to. Research online tot find a diet which works for you, and if you are in any doubt then make an appointment with a nutritionist who will be able to custom-make a diet which fits your body and your goals. 

No Fads

It can be tempting to go for some of the more zanier diet plans in order to lose weight quickly, but these are very rarely good for your body and there are no long term benefits which you can count on. In the majority of cases with these diets you will lose weight fast, and then put it all back on once you begin eating again. Look for a long term solution rather than short term. 

Pulling Together 

Something which really helped me in getting rid of the weight was buddying up with a friend of mine who had similar goals. We used to go to the gym together and we would also share what we were eating, to both inspire and be held accountable. If you know someone who would also like to lose weight then get in touch with them and work together on your shared goals. In doing this you are less likely to cheat, because there is a real feeling that you are cheating yourself and someone else. 

Small Steps

If you go beast mode in the gym on day one then all you are going to do is put your body under great stress, risk injury, and likely cause enough pain in your body that you won’t go back to the gym for a couple of days. Instead of that, take it in small stages, enough exercise to get the heart rate higher and get a sweat on. I started off with just 30 minutes per day in the gym, and gradually built that up to an hour. Take your time and you are more likely to get results. 

Good luck!