With a successful track cycling career and three Olympic medals to her name, it's safe to say that Victoria Pendleton knows a thing or two about fitness. Now the budding jockey has shared her top fitness tips for 2017 as part of her new Budget Bootcamps initiative in collaboration with Barclays.
Be honest with yourself at every phase
Don't bend the facts or lose track of your good work. Keep a food and activity diary, make a specific plan of what you want to achieve each week and most importantly log what you do and honestly review it…. and reward yourself when you meet a landmark.
Change up your diet
Cut out the processed carbohydrate and refined sugars. Eat more simply constructed meals with lots of vegetables, so you understand exactly what is going in. When people start a new exercise routine, it can come with perceived permission to fill-up on carbohydrates and sugars, whereas more often than not it undoes all the hard work that went in.
Don't watch the scales
Instead, go on the fit of tailored clothes. Your weight can fluctuate and even increase when muscle is built up, despite more often than not there being no visual signs to speak of.
Distract yourself
Want to catch up on the phone with a friend? A great reason to go for a walk somewhere quiet, burning the calories while you chat. Or spend a little time constructing some playlists of your favourite music for a pre-determined time frame.
THE BEST FITNESS CHALLENGES FOR 2017
Rope in family and friends – become a team
It's always more fun and easy to stay committed to a goal if you are doing it with others – you will all help each other keep on track. Why not take up a new sport and share your experiences? Often, we unknowingly give away great advice and support to those around us so make the most of it.
Be prepared
Pack your kit the night before, lay out those running clothes at the end of the bed, breakfast organised and ready in the kitchen, healthy post-workout snacks pre-packed and ready to go. Deliberating is never helpful when faced with a frosty dark morning so take all the thinking out of the process. Autopilot works best!
Barclays are offering the chance to win a Budget Bootcamp session with Victoria in Central London on 29 January. Visit Barclays Twitter and Facebook pages for your chance to win.
