Top 10 tips to keep your fitness on track in January

Whether you're looking to improve your speed, improve your wellbeing, or to lose weight, knowing how to achieve your January goals can be difficult. Anji Andrews, GoodGym's trainer in Newcastle, gives us her 10 best tips on how to keep your fitness on track in 2019.

1. Enlist a buddy Meeting a friend for a run or a walk gives you some immediate positive accountability. Set a day and a time and make it as regular as you can.

2. Make it social Join Strava and add some friends. You will love the buzz you get from a Kudos for getting out there. Give yourself the occasional Big Up on Twitter and let the likes flood in.

3. Don't be hard on yourself Set small, achievable targets. Missed a day? Don't be too hard on yourself. Just get going again when you're ready.

4. Have the right gear What's that saying? "There's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing" OK, sometimes the weather can be too much to cope with - icy, snowy conditions may scupper your training plans but don't let the ordinary wintery cold rainy days put you off. Get yourself a decent pair of waterproof socks and a thin breathable running jacket, wrap up with layers and get out there.

5. Set a long term target and a short term goal You don't have to target a marathon or run a super fast 5K to have a golden goal. Why not set a parkrun challenge for yourself? Could you do 20 parkruns in the year? You might find yourself setting PBs as the weeks go by, giving you a natural target to keep working on in the short term.

6. Journal it Sure, social apps are awesome but so is the great old-fashioned pen and paper. Writing a few lines about the type and duration of exercise you do and how it makes you feel can help you to see patterns of the types of workout you enjoy, and will spur you on to do more.

7. Go with audio... but not always! Music and podcasts are great for keeping you company especially when you are going out for a longer run or walk. Don't be scared to ditch the technology sometimes too, take some deep breaths and enjoy the sound of your feet on the ground.

8. Do what makes you happy This is a pretty obvious one, but the things you enjoy will be the easiest to stick to. Take up activities that get you moving and make you happy. Often movement and happiness are best linked to childhood, so think back to what made you smile at school and try to link it to some activities now.

9. Don't compare yourself to others... ever There are two great sayings about comparing yourself to others: Comparison is the thief of joy, and Compare and Despair. You should never compare yourself to others because there will always be someone fitter or faster than you. What others do should never impact negatively on your journey. While healthy competition is great (hello, GoodGym badges!) the only person you should compare yourself to is the person you used to be.

10.. finally... get going at GoodGym Use your run to do great things and most of all give it purpose. GoodGym combines running, volunteering and a ready-made friendly community with regular groups accessible to all levels of ability. It's free to join and you get the added bonus of a knowledgeable leader in your GoodGym Trainer. Start with shorter distance runs if you're a beginner, or look for tasks that have a walking option so you don't feel out of your depth. A warm welcome and a new purpose awaits.

Get involved:

• Find out about GoodGym in your area
  
• Find out about starter sessions and shorter runs
  
• Find out how GoodGym can help you get into running. Every week we work out by helping local community projects, and run back all within 90 minutes. You can find your nearest group run here.
• If you’re new to running, take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions and answers here.