Want to get fit in 2019? Here are some expert fitness tips to get you started

Here are some top tips for getting motivated! We asked these top personal trainers in Singapore how to help you get fit, and achieve your health and exercise goals in 2019.

Be realistic

“You may want a body like Brad Pitt, or the athletic curves and moves of a Lara Croft, but let’s get real for a minute – if you are 20kg overweight and give yourself five weeks to get ripped abs or tight buns, you are quite simply setting yourself up for failure,” says the team at Ultimate Performance (UP) Singapore, which offers personal training and body composition coaching with a no-nonsense approach. “With failure comes disappointment, derailment and a gradual (or swift!) regression back to your comfort zone of bad habits and easy self-gratification. Pick a goal that you know in your heart you can really achieve. And, a word to the wise, if you truly believe you can do it, then absolutely you should dare to dream!”

Set goals thoughtfully

“You would think it foolish to try to assemble a complicated piece of machinery without a blueprint or guide, so why do so many of us set off down the path of New Year’s resolutions armed with bundles of enthusiasm but zero knowledge of how to achieve our goals? Read up on the ‘how to’ of what you’re about to do and you’ll markedly increase your chances of success,” says the UP team. “Knowledge is power!”

Also important is figuring out why you want to achieve those particular goals, according to LEIGH WITHERS, manager at UFIT Amoy Street. “The key to staying motivated is being honest with yourself and finding out exactly what your ‘why’ is for wanting to reach your goals. Once you know that, your goals have more meaning, more purpose and, more importantly, more emotion attached to them,” he says. “So, when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of your ‘why’ and the emotion behind that goal – this will give you the staying power to achieve all your goals and more in 2019.”

Write down your goals

“Set yourself small realistic targets each day and progress from there. Write them down and remind yourself of them each morning,” suggests TOM CLARKE, manager of UFIT One-North. “Only set yourself targets or habits that you can see yourself doing in six weeks, six months and six years.”

One goal at a time

“In addition to being realistic in your individual goals is the important factor of not putting too many well-meaning resolutions on your plate in one fell swoop,” say the UP team. “Achieving anything meaningful requires a step-by-step process. Don’t try to lose body fat, add muscle, stop smoking, read a new book a week, and start Spanish lessons all at the same time! You will fall between multiple stools and end up achieving absolutely diddly squat, apart from an overwhelming feeling of frustration!”

Be patient

“Make sure to give yourself enough time to achieve your goals so that you can take a non-drastic and sustainable approach,” says TOM IMANISHI, personal trainer at UFIT Tanjong Pagar. “Rushing the process may lead you to doing more harm than good, with the process not being enjoyable and the results you achieve potentially not lasting long-term. Remember that achieving these goals will change your life; this will help you stick to your routine and keep you coming back for more.”

Make time!

“It’s easy to use the ‘I’m too busy’ excuse, especially in this day and age where we live in a fast-paced society,” says MAX JOHNSON, co-founder and president of Platinum Fitness. “However, it’s all about how you prioritise and plan your schedule to fit in your workouts!” It’s for exactly this reason that Platinum keeps its doors open 24/7 for its members. Turn to page 181 to find out more.

Find your tribe

“Setting and working toward a goal is always more fun when you’re working towards achieving something with like-minded peers,” says Max, who suggests group classes as a great way to make fitness fun. “Having other participants in the class often makes the workout more enjoyable and also keeps a good, competitive spirit going.”

Bootcamps are a great way to keep one another accountable, and create a consistent support network, says ANNA GRAMMARE, Manager of UFIT Bootcamps, which offers over 60 sessions a week at 12 different locations. “It’s a great way to surround yourself with like-minded people or find a community where you have a common goal or focus. This will make the journey a touch easier – and it’s always more fun when you’re sharing the experience!”

Sign up for sports events

“An extra motivator for achieving your weekly fitness routine is to sign up for sports events, whether it’s a 10km race or a hiking weekend with friends,” says JANTIEN KROESE-VAN DEN BERG, managing director and trainer at Mom in Balance Singapore, which offers outdoor workouts for pregnant women, postpartum recovery workouts for new mums and total body fitness for all women who want to stay in shape. “You will most likely want to do well on the day itself, and that’s what keeps you motivated to get your exercises done! It really works for me personally. It’s just more fun to have something to work for and to really feel ready for it!”

Jantien also suggests signing up for races and other events with a friend. “At Mom in Balance, we encourage you to sign up as a group to train together, and to motivate one another leading up to race day. It’s nicer to have your tribe with you when you cross that line. We always make sure everyone makes new plans to keep going after race day!”

Document your accomplishments

“Keep a calendar to visually celebrate your exercise accomplishments, whether it’s your weekly workout or a 5km run,” suggests Jantien. “Every two months, we send out a calendar to our members to help them write down their goals – small and big ones alike. Even those few moments of ‘me time’ are very important; many women with children tend to skip their own time to prioritise family, work or social events. So, write it down and share it with your hubby. Accountability is powerful!”

Try a trainer

Another way to hold yourself accountable? Working with a personal trainer (PT), says CHARLIE TEMPLE, founder and director of Platinum Fitness in the CBD. “A PT will help design an effective routine to suit your lifestyle and goals,” he says. “Which is why we give our members the luxury of choice – they can choose to train with a PT from Platinum Fitness or bring in their very own PT to work with.”

Seek professional advice

“If your resolutions have any impact upon your health and are genuinely important to you, then professional advice should be regarded as an investment, not an expense,” say the experts at UP. “Too many people waste too much time getting nowhere and following erroneous, if well-meaning, advice. A good professional can fast-track your progress and often be the difference between success and failure through frustration caused by mistakes and overly slow and limited progress. We rarely see a new client who isn’t familiar with the gym, but we almost never see a new client who knows how to exercise and eat properly for their specific goals and physical and biochemical makeup.”

Take the stairs

“Perhaps not all the way to the 40th floor, but choose to take the last five or 10 instead,” says Jantien. “In our programmes we focus a lot on cardio, lower body and core strength, so taking the stairs is an excellent routine to complement our workouts in the park; it benefits your lower body and increases stamina. It’s an easy habit to incorporate into your busy daily schedule and it will only cost you five minutes!”

Get more sleep

“The easiest thing you can do to boost your fitness routine is to get more sleep,” says Jantien. “A good night’s rest seems impossible sometimes, especially for new mums or mums with young children. Feeling tired makes it way easier to blow off your workout, has negative effects on your mood and affects your ability to think clearly.” Her tip for falling asleep faster? “Flip that phone face down earlier in the evening and get your eight plus hours of sleep. More sleep should be priority number one on everyone’s list for 2019!”

Scale back on your drinking

Charlie suggests cutting down on alcohol or removing it from your diet completely, since alcoholic beverages are high in calories. “Cutting down your alcohol intake will drastically help you get to where you want to be! Not only will you feel better and more refreshed mentally, it also helps you to avoid unwanted calories,” he says.