The fitness industry loves January. It is a time of year when millions of people decide that this year they will join the gym, get themselves fit and lose some weight. Sales managers can rest easy in January, knowing their membership sales targets will be hit with ease.

Gym managers can relax, they know the tills will fill up with cash, and all they have to do is find a way to ensure all of these new members are inducted and have their programmes designed. It’s an easy time for the fitness industry – the only people who don’t like January are the regular gym users who have to queue for the kit they can use so freely for the rest of the year. Even they know though, come March the crowds will be gone for another 9 months and normal service will resume.

So what is it about January? Well there is a new psychology at the beginning of something – it is a novelty, a fresh start, a chance to change. January is a time to begin again, and promise yourself that “this year, things will be different”. It is this drive that pushes people to join gyms all over the world.

It also helps that January falls immediately after the most indulgent time in the Christian calendar – Christmas. A time when we gorge ourselves on meat, potatoes, vegetables, chocolates, cake, alcohol and anything else that just happens to be in the cupboards! If Christmas for you is anything like my family, the food will be non-stop, and the alcohol will be free-flowing too.

This year, things will be different!

In January 2010, I remember training with my girlfriend after a horrendously indulgent Christmas. I had put on a whopping 5kg over a two week period, and my performance in the gym was embarrassing. I had lost strength, endurance and power. I remember feeling sick in the showers afterwards, and we had achieved probably 60% of what we would do in a normal session.

BUT…

This year, things will be different!

Of course I will be indulgent, of course I will eat lots, but this year I am going to exercise too! I am slightly older, wiser and more disciplined. A good night out for me no longer involves drinking to huge excess or making awful food choices. I now suffer from hangovers that I never used to, and my lack of drinking practice over the last couple of years means I can’t cope with a large amount of alcohol in my system anymore! I also have a baby son to look after, and I could imagine that is difficult when you don’t feel great!

So how do you prevent Christmas damaging your body, undoing most of your good work over the year? Here are 5 tips to prevent your Christmas being the destroyer of all of your good work in the gym!

1. Get your psychology right. Set yourself up with a mindset that you aren’t going to eat or drink too much. If you make your mind up beforehand and get your psychology right, temptation is easier to resist. Think of yourself as a reformed binge eater – it’s something you used to do, but not any longer!

So there you go, the Hoyles Fitness guide to ensuring Christmas doesn’t ruin your hard work in the gym. You don’t have to live like a saint over Christmas, but you do need to earn your parties if you want to stay in shape!

Good luck!

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