Hannah Gray gets some expert advice, looks into special offers available in local gyms, and in part 2 of our feature, she checks out alternative forms of exercise, including pole dancing, tai chi and belly dancing.


AS the last of the Christmas decorations begins to feebly fall down, we have edged our way into the new year.

After all the excesses of the festive season, this is traditionally a time when people resolve to be healthier, fitter and shed those extra pounds.

But it isn't easy. If exercise simply isn't part of your life and hasn't been since your school days of enforced hockey playing, getting back into it can be daunting.

Bad experiences at the start can mean good intentions don't make it through to February.

One of the key messages from personal trainer Linda Lawson (41) who lives in Northorpe, near Bourne, is not to expect too much too soon.

"I think the main reason new year's resolutions fail is because people go too quickly. They want extreme results in the shortest time," she said.

"What they tend to do is go at it 110 per cent, which is great but it's too much too soon, so they tend to burn out quite quickly.

"They go from nothing to doing all this exercise and they eventually just run out of steam.

"If they set themselves a more slow pace but a steady programme they will probably stick with it longer and see the results they were hoping to see."

Linda believes the motivation for getting fit can also be a problem.

"I think people generally have an idea about themselves in terms of weight and fitness levels that is acceptable to them and it's only really when they get to the point where they think 'this has got to change' that they get the motivation," she said.

If you are all psyched up to lose weight or get fit, Linda is naturally a big advocate of personal trainers.

"You get dedicated attention. If somebody comes to me they'll get a full fitness appraisal," she said.

Part of her service is also to stay in touch with her clients and keep them motivated as well as find ways of getting them to exercise as part of their everyday life, such as taking the stairs rather than the lift or getting off the bus one stop early in order to have a walk.

"I'm looking for areas to improve their eating and finding realistic opportunities to fit fitness into their lives.

"Ideally that would be a fitness session but really it's just small changes they make so they're being more active," she said.

If you have decided the gym is the route for you, Linda has some sound advice on what to look for when picking one.

"I think if I was going for a gym I'd be interested in the quality of equipment," she said.

"That doesn't mean it has to be the latest model but in good working order, so I'd be looking at how many machines were working.

"I'd go on to look at what the gym staff are doing.

"A lot of gyms will give you a good sales package but I've been to lots in various places where the staff are standing around chatting.

"They should be motivated to take an interest in you.