So your New Years resolution is to get fit, lose weight, or play a great season of your chosen sport this year. Whatever the reason, we all strive to be our best physically.

So where do you start?

Firstly it is important to prepare yourself mentally by making a decision to exercise regularly. Find a friend who will commit to exercise with you or join a group such as the Ahuriri Pharmacy walking group which meets every Thursday morning at 9am for a walk.

Plan your programme to suit you, aiming to exercise for 30 minutes or more at least four times a week. Combine cardiovascular training for aerobic fitness with resistance training to build lean muscle and strength.

In addition to scales and height-to-weight charts, another reliable indication of changes in your body size is to measure the diameter of your neck, upper arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs.

Eating a healthy, well balanced diet is vital.

Carbohydrates (carbs) are essential in providing energy for sporting activities. The glycaemic index (GI) is a ranking system for carbs and eating high GI foods, such as potatoes, rice and weetbix just before exercise provides a quick energy boost. A banana is a high GI food and good to eat during training as it is easily broken down and will provide energy to your muscles and prevent cramp.

Low GI foods such as lentils, pasta, fruit and oats help before and during training, while protein and fat are important if you want to build muscle. You can find them in lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and nuts.

For active people who have specific goals such as building muscle, losing weight, running faster or jumping higher, general everyday good nutrition may not be enough to deliver the desired results.Sports supplements build on the fundamentals of a good diet to provide more support and better health results.

Supplementing a healthy and balanced diet with a daily multivitamin can help ensure you obtain the required daily intake of essential micronutrients. A multivitamin with good doses of antioxidants is also important, as during exercise there is an increased formation of free radicals, which can damage healthy cells.

Muscle tissue is the body’s store of protein. If we do not have enough protein in our diet it will result in the breakdown of existing muscle tissue. Formulated protein powders provide an excellent source of dietary protein in a convenient form.

Hydration is a major nutritional factor influencing performance. Sweat produced during exercise is made up of water and electrolytes and it is important to replace both effectively. Specially designed sports drinks serve to restore optimal hydration and fluid balance within the body. Added carbohydrates and protein also boost energy reserves and assist with the recovery of muscle tissue.

Ahuriri Pharmacy recommends the Balance range of supplements and can help find a supplement to suit your sporting needs.

Believe in yourself and stay focused on your goals!