 |  Huw Wiltshire
Huw is Course Director for the BSc (Hons) Sport and PE at UWIC, Cardiff. He is also Strength and Fitness Conditioning Coach at Cardiff RFC and was fitness coach for the Wales A team in rugby. His special fitness interests are in strength and conditioning for rugby. |  |
- Find an activity you enjoy.
Try a game of badminton with a friend, squash or a circuits session. Try a range of things until you find something that really suits you and your lifestyle.
- Train with a partner or group.
Group pressure will keep you going when you feel like it's too much effort to go out. Vary what you do and where you do it. It doesn't have to cost a lot - jog outside, walk up a mountain. Just say to yourself, 'At this point in the week, I will definitely do'. If you vary what you do, you'll stay interested.
- Avoid doing too much, too soon.
If you throw yourself in and train too hard, too quickly, you'll get sore and you'll be unlikely to do it again. Start small and build up - that way you won't be put off!
- Strengthen your core.
The core is the business!! Work on strengthening your stomach and back. You will avoid injuries if you work on this in your fitness sessions.
- Improve your overall strength.
Use weights or your own body weight to improve your overall strength. Get advice before you start and build up slowly.
- Get into circuits.
Pick 4 or 5 exercises and work your way around them. Build up the amount of times/circuits that you do this. It will help you burn/
- Let exercise drop the fat.
The question is often asked 'Do I cut my calories or increase my exercise?' You won't lose it by thinking about it! If you don't use it, you lose it. Just get started and you'll see a difference. Build in short bouts of activity into your day, rather than exercising for long periods at the end of a working day and putting pressure on yourself to enjoy!
- Diets don't work.
Look at your normal diet and try to change small elements of your diet to make improvements. The old saying of 'Eat breakfast like a King and dinner like a pauper' is true - eat larger meals at the beginning of the day to give your body a chance to burn the calories. Dinner should be your smallest meal.
- Increase your water consumption.
If you cut down the caffeine and sugary drinks, you'll feel all the better for it. We get tired and struggle if we're dehydrated. Water flushes your system and makes you feel brighter. Always have water with you, and take small sips regularly during your training
- Walk more and swim more.
Walking uses a great number of muscles and is an inexpensive way to burn fat. Swimming does total body work and has no impact on your joints. Swimming is great - aerobic activity and resistance work in one activity and it's a life saver!
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