STILL STUCK FOR MOTIVATION TO LOSE WEIGHT? MAYBE FOLLOWING IN SOMEONE ELSE’S FOOTSTEPS MIGHT HELP In THIS column, I share my experience on ways to obtain optimal health and — most importantly — how to change your body shape. But sometimes the penny will only drop when you see it in practice. So, starting today, you can follow Yvonne’s progress as she attempts to shape up. One of the most important things when starting out…

SO THE ANNUAL BULL RUN TO JOIN A GYM HAS BEGUN TO DWINDLE. THE CHALLENGE FOR THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS NOW IS HOW TO RETAIN THE NEW MEMBERS WHO HAVE STARTED THE YEAR IN THE HOPE OF ACHIEVING WEIGHT LOSS OR MUSCLE GAIN. The reality is that with no structured training and nutrition plan the results will fail to materialise and inevitably the member will leave. Anton Clancy, regional manager of Jackie Skelly gyms, which has 20,000…

WE LOVE MAKING EXCUSES TO OURSELVES BUT NUMBERS DON’T LIE — THAT’S WHERE KPIS COME IN One of the things I enjoy most is watching different sports on TV and commentators’ use of statistics. During post-game analysis, I’m always amazed by the wide range of facts and figures used. Time-motion analysis gives us details of how much each player ran, percentage possession tells us which team had the ball for each half and then there’s…

IF YOU’RE SEARCHING FOR INSPIRATION IN YOUR HEALTH QUEST, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN PADRAIG HARRINGTON As NEW year’s health resolutions begin to wane, there are many who are considering seeking the services of a personal trainer to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. But how do you choose the right one for you? Starting with a personal trainer or coach is a bit like drilling for oil — it’s fraught with risk. Nobody…

LOOKING AFTER YOUR WELL-BEING IS ESSENTIAL AND NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO START NEW Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back over the past, and forward to the year ahead. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we need to make. Last year produced some stressful times with job losses, tax increases and pay cuts the order of the day. Many of us now are looking to 2010, analysing our…

FORGET THE STYLES ON THE CATWALK — IT’S IN OUR NATURE TO APPRECIATE A TONED BODY The fashion shows of London, Milan, Paris and New York have been in full flow lately. The clothes on display often influence the minds and thoughts of the ladies who frequent the shows — but for those of you who didn’t quite manage to bag a front-row seat, you may be unaware that the fashion capitals are trying to…

TAKE A LEAF OUT OF JEDWARD’S BOOK AND YOU WON’T BE LED ASTRAY BY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES THIS FESTIVE SEASON As The X Factor draws to a close, Ireland’s sole entry has since departed amid jeers and boos. The twin brothers from Lucan, John and Edward Grimes, known as Jedward, were on the receiving end of some harsh criticism every week on the show. At one stage Simon Cowell labelled the pair “cocky”. If this…

YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING IN SHAPE AND ENJOYING YOURSELF THIS CHRISTMAS — DO BOTH It is at this stage of the year when we start to hear stories about how most people will gain between five and 10 pounds of body fat in the run-up to Christmas. I’m not sure if this worries you or not, but a lot of people are terrified about getting fatter in the coming weeks. They anticipate…

THERE IS NO EASY OPTION, SUCCESS IS ONLY FOUND BEHIND THE DOOR MARKED ‘HARD’ Tim Ferriss wrote a best-selling book last year called The 4-Hour Work Week. In it, Ferriss encouraged people to look for opportunities to build passive income which would reduce your working hours. If you accomplished this, it would free up the time to fulfil your dreams, like Ferriss, who managed to learn the tango in Argentina and compete in martial-arts competitions in…

CHRISTMAS IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING BUT YOU CAN STILL GET THE FIGURE YOU WANT Every year, it gets earlier. The countdown to Christmas has begun and competition for your money is heating up. But as well as the urgency to spend money, one area that requires urgent care is your health, as it’s not only the turkey that has been packing on the pounds in the run up to the festive season. There are only six…