6Steps
to boost your body confidence
by Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes
1. Make every second count
‘Start with what you want, then work
out how you’ll get there,’ says Dame Kelly Holmes, who won Olympic gold in the
800m and 1,500m at the 2004 Games. ‘In sport, we’re lucky – there’s always a
training target.’ You may not be training for London 2012 but if you’re aiming
to shed half a stone, or run your first 5K, you still need a plan. Decide your
time frame and work backwards (see box below), giving yourself stepping stones
along the way, then put them in your dairy so there’s no excuse for falling
behind.
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1.
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2. Run 2mins,
walk 3mins x 4
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3.
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4. 30
minute walk with Steph
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5.
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6. Run 2mins,
walk 3mins x 4
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7.
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8. Run 3mins,
walk 3mins x 2
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9.
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10. 30
minute walk with Steph
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11.
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12. Run 3mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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13.
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14. Run 4mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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15.
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16. 30
minute walk with Steph
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17.
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18. Run 5mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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19.
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20. Run 6mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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21. Run 8mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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22.
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23. 35
minute walk with Steph
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24.
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25. Run 12mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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26.
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27. Run 15mins,
walk 2mins x 2
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28.
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29.
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30. 5K RACE DAY!!
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2. Think around your goal
Losing weight or getting fit isn't as
easy as it sounds, otherwise we'd all be super-slim, toned and as fit as
fiddles. Work out why you've fallen off the wagon before - or what's likely to
scupper your chances this time. Does stress make you comfort eat; have you been
forcing yourself to do a form of exercise you don't even like? Whatever your
barrier, pinpoint it so it can't undo those good intentions.
3. Be adaptable
Having a goal and working towards it
is fantastic, but you also have to expect the unexpected, 'With the girls I mentor
for Aviva's On Camp With Kelly [oncampwithkelly.co.uk] I have to constantly re
evaluate their goals as things like injury can make targets unworkable,' Forced
to work late, so you can't get to the gym this week? Tweak your plan – do three
30-minute exercise DVDs in your living room instead.
4. Build yourself a team
'Don't underestimate the importance of
friends.' says Kelly. 'Mine helped me through every high and low. True friends
aren't jealous of you trying to achieve something - they support you* Enlist
your nearest and dearest, whether it's to join you or support from the
sidelines. When you go out for dinner and everyone baulks as you order a salad,
your 'team' can help field the questions, or when you don't fancy a run, you'll
force yourself to go because your 'teammate' is on her way over and you won't
want to let her down.
5. Celebrate the stepping stones
You can never stay motivated 100% of
the time. Some people wrote me off when I was injured but they didn't know the
work I'd put in, the commitment, the effort, the successes and the failures, so
I blocked out the negativity and thought about what I'd achieved,' says Kelly.
Your end goal is obviously the 'pop the Champagne moment' but you should log
and celebrate success throughout. Keep a diary or a blog of your progress Jot
down inch loss, weight loss or time spent exercising, and note how you feel.
Then, when you have a bad day, you can look back and see what you've achieved
already.
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· Run for 8 minutes.
Walk for 2 minutes.
Repeat twice (with clare)
· Inch loss – 2 inches from my
thighs!!!!
· How I felt
Really didn’t fancy going out – was still dark when clare rang the doorbell –
But once we got out there and warmed up. I felt great! Helped by the facts
she told me a hilarious rambling story about her new office crush! Go me!
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6. Keep on keeping on
Depressing stat alert: 90% of dieters regain
every pound they’ve lost, so once you reach your goal, don't give up! 'The
hardest thing in Athens was winning the 800m, then going back to the heats for
the 1.500m.' says Kelly. 'I wanted to celebrate but I had to get back in the zone.'
It’s oh-so tempting to buy that pair of size 10 jeans, then throw caution to
the wind and undo all your hard work. Don't! Set a new goal - even if ifs
simply maintaining what you've achieved.
n Kelly’s new range of fitness equipment and clothing is available
in stores and online at tesco.com/KellyHomes
