It’s nearly March and perhaps the enthusiasm for all the ’New Year, New You’ changes you threw yourself into in January is wearing off a little. It can be hard, when the weather is miserable and holidays seem a long way away, to stick to those resolutions, but now is the most important time to keep going. Here are some tips from Louise O’Driscoll, Xen-Do London’s affiliated Holistic Health Coach, that might help…

There is an oft-quoted myth that it takes 21 days to create a habit, but if you have managed to consistently exercise or change your dietary habits over the last few weeks, you will most likely agree that they aren’t yet what you would consider a ‘habit’. The truth is that the evidence shows that 21 days is the minimum amount of time required and it takes closer to 66 days for a habit to be created. Based on a New Year’s resolution, that would take you right up into March. The good news is, if you keep going until then, you really should be feeling much more into a routine and you may even feel disappointed to have to miss a planned workout!

To help you stick to your Xen-Do Kickboxing and Martial Arts exercise plans;

– fix a regular time and date for training sessions, choose a session that you know that most of the time, you will easily be able to get to. Over time, heading to a Xen-Do Kickboxing and Martial Arts Club after that weekly staff meeting will feel as natural as brushing your teeth in the morning.

– book yourself in for classes in advance and put them in your diary, download the new Xen-Do APP which brings Xen-Do Kickboxing and Martial Arts to your Smartphone or ipad and makes it really easy to stay connected.

– if you are hesitating, get into your trainers and ready to go, then have another think about it. Sometimes, getting ready can be all the trigger you need to get you going.

– eliminate as many potential obstacles as possible, for example, keep your kit packed and ready to go as soon as you need it and make sure you have a nutritious snack an hour or two before a workout so that you are properly fuelled

– find a friend to work out with, agree to make each other accountable for turning up and working hard. Persuade one along to a FREE trial Kickboxing and Martial Arts class at Xen Do London as a newbie, or find a buddy already at the Xen-Do dojo and suggest you support each other

– it is good to visualise your long term goal, perhaps getting your black-belt, or simply being someone who loves to work out. But also visualise in a positive way, the process and time it will take to get to that point – that is, yourself, putting in the training in the dojo and enjoying a sense of achievement at each stage you progress through.

As Dai Master Raf says “when you are climbing a mountain, focus on putting one foot in front of the other, only occasionally looking, just to make sure you are headed in the right direction, at the peak which seems so far away. When you join Xen-Do London you join a community sharing one aim – to be fit for the life you want to lead; by downloading the new Xen-Do APP you can stay in touch on the move, make the most of all that Xen-Do has to offer and see what your friends and Senseis at Xen-Do Kickboxing and Martial Arts are doing in the many Xen-Do video clips now online.”

To download the APP and start making the most of Xen-Do visit one the the links below:

This article is based on opinion:
– the author is not a qualified doctor or anyone who can dispense medical advice.
– any opinions stated are just that and people should consult a doctor before making any dietary changes or changes of any nature prompted by the articles published by or on behalf of Xen-Do.
– under 16’s please obtain parental permission before posting anything online.
– any opinions stated are that of the author and do not represent the opinions of Xen-Do.