new year, new you? three wellness professionals on how to stay mentally and physically healthy throughout the year

With January over and done with, how many of your New Year’s resolutions are still intact? All too easily, we let go of the positive changes we’ve tried to enforce as our social lives pick up, our work schedules get busy and we remember a stick of celery and some hummus is no match for a chocolate biscuit. Here to help us back on course, though, are three south London wellness warriors – an acupuncturist and two fitness coaches – who are passionate about encouraging a healthy lifestyle and helping those of us who can usually be found on the sofa overcome our stumbling blocks.

how best to approach new year’s resolutions

“I always find it useful to have a plan. Saying ‘I will be fit in the new year’ isn’t enough. Your goal needs to be more specific,” reasons personal trainer Gokay Kurtuldum, who runs body transformation and sculpting business Gokay Fitness in Dulwich, and is the author of the book Get Fit Stay Fit For Men Over 40.

“Another tip is to break down your goals. For example, if you are aiming for fitting back into those trousers or the dress you like, your overall goal might be losing 9cm around the waist in three months. At the end of the first month, it should go down by 3cm. After the second month, it should then go down by another 3cm and a 9cm loss in total by the end of the third month.”

Dan Bevan, co-director of Dulwich Therapy Rooms and a senior acupuncturist, believes it's helpful to be realistic about what you can achieve. “I always advise patients to think about and approach resolutions in a way as to prevent the ‘all or nothing’ approach,” he says.

“Sometimes it’s better to make achievable changes such as reduced portion sizes and eating earlier in the day. Look at the times of day where you can ‘ritualise’ your down time and find time in the working day for mindful habits.” For example, “dropping your shoulders every time you take a tea break and toilet break reminds us regularly to release the physical effects of stress.”

Caitlin Kent-Halliday is just 18-years-old but in October 2022, she launched her own fitness business, CRV Coaching, teaching pilates online from her home in Beckenham. “I started my own fitness journey aged 16…fitness has helped me in many aspects of my life, both mentally and physically, but most of all it showed me just what our bodies are capable of when we step outside of our comfort zone and put more energy into activities that strengthen us rather than drain us,” she says.

Among Caitlin’s tips for sticking with your fitness resolutions is to make it enjoyable. “If achieving your goals feels like a chore and doesn't give you an ounce of joy, you're less likely to stick with it,” she explains. Another is to “move with purpose not perfection”. She explains: “if you don't start somewhere you can’t improve, don't let the fear of not every move being perfect stop your growth”.

Overcoming Barriers

It feels pretty dispiriting when, after a week or so of factoring in some exercise, eating healthily or calming the mind with positive affirmations, we lose the motivation. How can we stick with our new resolves?

“We all know life always gets in the way. You need to accept it and be prepared in advance on what actions to take when you have a super busy schedule,” sympathises Gok, who believes that where fitness resolutions are concerned, it takes four to six weeks to feel the difference. “When you are mentally prepared, you will work around those barriers. Putting ‘me time’ into your work calendar is one of the best things you can do, even if it is for 30 minutes. Consider this time as a meeting with an important client,” he suggests.

The main reason why people don’t make progress, or eventually give up, is that they are not consistent. If you are not consistent, you don’t see the result. If you don’t see the result, you give up! It’s a bit like a vicious cycle.”

Caitlin agrees. “Creating sustainable habits and routines is key to not giving up on New Year’s resolutions,” she says, adding that for each resolution you make, it’s worth doing four things: establish your goal, ask yourself why you want to achieve it, analyse your current routine to create a plan of action and hold yourself accountable to achieving it.

Train With The Experts

At Gokay Fitness, you can take part in five different training programmes: a 12-week, one-to-one body transformation, training up to four times a week and doing home workouts on the other days; a 12-week group body transformation programme; a six-week body sculpture programme; one-to-one personal training sessions; and group classes, which range from pilates to Boxfit and cardio workouts.

Caitlin, meanwhile, is continuing to offer her online pilates classes – which include pre and post natal sessions – and she’s also currently training to become a personal trainer and nutrition specialist. “I believe in order to give our all we need to feel our best from the inside and out. When it comes to your health it really does start from within,” she says.

Dulwich Therapy Rooms offers a whole range of holistic treatments, but new for 2023 is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), offered by the counselling and psychotherapy team.

“EMDR is a type of therapy for the symptoms and emotional distress that often occur after traumatic experiences,” explains Dan, who is also personally looking to expand on his skillset to better understand hormonal imbalances and how best to treat them with acupuncture.

Wellness without the workout

Looking for an endorphin hit without breaking a sweat? Dan’s got some simple tricks for sparking joy. “Light a candle with breakfast, Scandinavian hygge style, or spray some essential oil room fragrance and read or meditate for 10 minutes when you get home in your favourite corner,” he suggests. “Maybe get up five minutes earlier and do a quick Qigong (moving meditation), stretch or sun salutation… The key is to make small adjustments, enough to keep the smile on your face, and move forward from there.”

Gokay Fitness, Gok's Fitness Hub, London SE21 7AF. For training plans and prices, visit www.gokayfitness.com/

CVR Coaching memberships for £20 per month. Classes available online. To book, visit www.crvcoaching.com

Dulwich Therapy Rooms, 47 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8EP. Monday - Friday, 10am - 8pm; Saturday, 9:30am - 4:30pm; Sunday open by appointment. www.dulwichtherapyrooms.co.uk/

Quirky fitness classes to try this year

flying fantastic, peckham

Learn the ropes, or should we say ribbons, at this aerial fitness school. 1 Bellenden Road, London SE15 5BA. www.flyingfantastic.co.uk/

Barepaws yoga, Crystal palace

Practice your downward dog with the help of a fluffy pup at this puppy yoga class, designed to boost your oxytocin levels and benefit your mental health. 61a Larcom Street, London SE17 1NJ. www.barepawsyoga.live.baluu.co.uk/

Cryosauna at toa clinic, Battersea What’s the opposite of sweating it out in a sauna? Freezing your extremities in a Cryosauna, apparently. The treatment will see you immersed in sub-zero temperatures for three minutes and is believed to aid weight loss, reduce cellulite, rebalance hormones, help with pain and improve skin. 154b Battersea Park Road, London SW11 4ND. www.toaclinic.co.uk/

British Barbell, peckham

Learn to powerlift like a champ at this inclusive, community-focused weightlifting club. Unit 9 Astbury Business Park, Station Passage, London SE15 2JR. www.british-barbell.co.uk/

Good Gym, lambeth, lewisham, southwark & Greenwich

Get fit while doing good deeds with this nationwide scheme. You can run, walk or cycle while helping members of your community with one-off tasks like gardening, changing light bulbs or simply dropping in for a chat.

www.goodgym.org/areas/lambeth

kelechnekoff, peckham

Practise the art, yes art, of pole dancing at this Black-owned pole dancing studio, where classes range from standard dance choreography to Vinyasa yoga. Sojourner Truth Centre, 161 Sumner Road, London SE15 6JL. www.kelechnekoff.com/