New Years Resolution Exercise Tips Most people make New Year's resolutions, and the classic one is 'to keep fit and get in shape'. Based on clinical experience, I see many patients in late January and February due injuries as a direct result of their resolutions. This is not a good start to the year, especially when you are aiming for positive change. It will set you back, frustrate you and make achieving your resolutions less likely. Here is some advice on how to reduce the risk of developing some common issues presented to me at this time of year. This should help you reach your goals without unnecessary obstacles and see the change you hope for. YOUR CURRENT STATE Think about your current level of activities. Be realistic. How much exercise do you currently do? Realising where you currently are helps you plan your progress. Remember, this is the actual level of activity that your body is currently accustomed to. Anything more than this, the body will need time to adapt. INTRODUCE EXERCISE Gradually introduce exercise. This may be as simple as going for walks before you start a run, running twice a week before starting to run five times a week, or becoming gym ready before joining a gym. Be patient, doing too much too soon will increase your chances of developing problems. It is calculated that when walking, we exert around 1.5 times our body weight through our feet, and when running, this can be 3 times. These forces affect our bones and soft tissues more as they increase. TIME Allow time