New Year, New You: Bounce Back Into Fitness

The puddings have been consumed, the champagne has been drunk and the gym membership has definitely hit the hiatus mode. Christmas is well and truly over, dear readers, and not sure about you, but our bodies are suffering big time.

Good news is that it's the new year and it's time to unveil our inner-Beyonce and take charge of the fitness and wellbeing goals you committed to on January 1. Don't deny, we all wrote down at least one health and fitness resolution in there, right?

But what should you do to sustain that motivation and strength for the whole year round? Don't fret. Here are some of our tips on how to bounce back into fitness and shed off those holiday pounds without the pressure:

1. Set realistic goals: Don't aim to pull a Britney Spears where you want to lose 10 pounds in two weeks. Ladies, it's not going to happen. You will give up on day two and wonder why you set these rules for yourself. When making a fitness goal for the year, keep them achievable. Don't aim for the stars, because you will give up sooner than anticipated. 
2. Start a fitness diary: If you're serious about achieving what you want for the year, then keep a fitness and health journal or a Pinterest board. It will help you get into the routine of what you are doing (and not doing) all through the year. Jot down any nutrition and fitness tips you hear of from friends or personal trainer. It's all about motivation, really. 
3. Book in your workout like a meeting or appointment: This is Gwyneth Paltrow's worst kept fitness secrets, but the hot momma books her workout sessions like appointments in her iCal. If you have to go for a run at 4pm, you just have to, no one can budge that. Do this and see how motivated you are. Again, keep these achievable too, because you don't want to overbook your meetings. 
4. Reward yourself: This is vital to bounce back into routine after all the holiday binge. Stop depriving yourself of all the naughty foods that you overdosed on for the past two weeks. Reward yourself every time you hit a milestone with your fitness goal. You ran an extra mile on the treadmill today? Have a small square of dark chocolate post-dinner tonight. You deserve it! 
5. Evaluate your past year: Analyse and write down everything you potentially did wrong in the last year. Was it more exercise and less nutritional food? Or was it vice versa? Look back at places where you could have gone wrong and improve in the first two months of the year. Try to find the balance; that's the key to achieving your goals for 2014. 

Now go, get started! Kick those calories in the curb.