Lean into 2018 - Jumpstart the year with Pat Divilly's fitness plan
How many times have you started a new year health kick; committing to losing that stubborn kilo, undertaking a radical new diet plan, and promising youâll drag yourself to the gym five times a week?
Inevitably you find yourself overwhelmed, and before you know it youâve thrown in the towel and decided next year is the year youâll make it happen. Sound familiar?
Well, maybe you need to rethink your approach. Every journey starts with a few small steps, and charting a course to better health is no exception.
If ânew year, new youâ is a daunting proposition, wellness coach Pat Divilly believes looking at the smaller picture helps make any goal attainable.
Now aged 30, when Patâs Dublin-based personal training business failed six years ago, he returned home to Galway and decided to get back to basics, training five clients on his local beach.
Since then, heâs written three books and helped 25,000 online clients reach their weight-loss goals; but as he says himself, âIf Iâd set out to achieve all that, I would have been intimidated, so I set small targets along the way.
"First get five clients, then get 10, and so on.â
Achieving success via a series of âmini winsâ has now become a cornerstone principle of Patâs weight-loss strategy, and whether itâs life goals or fitness goals, his philosophy is simple: âThink of your starting point as âAâ, your goal as âZâ, and begin by asking yourself, âHow do I get to B?ââ
When it comes to improving your physical health, you might expect that first step to involve diet or exercise, but for Pat, the secret to success is all in the mind.
With a masters in nutrition science, he says, âwithout a shadow of a doubt nutrition is the key component in weight loss, but a combination of training and nutrition is optimal, and beyond that, you have to think holistically.
âThese days, weâre bombarded with weight- loss plans,â he says.
âWe donât have an information problem, we have an application problem. Why donât we do what the vast majority of us know weâre supposed to do?â
The answer is rooted in psychology, and using a combination of mindfulness and neurolinguistic programming techniques, Pat helps clients break the patterns that keep them stuck before they embark on a weight-loss journey.
Then, keeping it simple helps make new those new habits stick.
âWe overcomplicate everything, especially health and nutrition,â he says.
âEmbracing a simplified approach helps us form good habits and keep our goals in sight. If it helps get you on the right path pick one training goal and one nutritional change youâre going to make, and donât make it more complicated than that.
âPeople slog through fitness programs they donât enjoy, believing the misery will be worth it when they see the results,â he says.
âBut by setting manageable goals and focusing on simplicity and consistency, I believe people can enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
âMindfulness is the key. Practicing gratitude, cultivating confidence and tracking mini wins gives my clients the tools they need to attain and maintain a healthy, happy body and mind.â
Mindset played a crucial role in the success of Elaine Dunne, an online client of Patâs who lost 9kg in 2017.
After years of yo-yo diets, characterised by âself-sabotagingâ behaviours, the mother of three from Naas, Co Kildare, had âa light bulb momentâ when she saw one of Patâs videos on Facebook.
âI always struggled with my weight, even as a child,â Elaine recalls. âI started dieting at 19, and Iâm now 35. Things would work for a while but Iâd always regain the weight.â
Through working with Pat, Elaine learned she was trapped in a mindset of predicting failure.
âI knew I should eat right; I knew I should exercise, and I knew those actions would lead to results,â she says. âBut any time I struggled or felt deprived, Iâd tell myself: âIâm sad, I need chocolate.â Or, âthis is pointless, it never works.â
âPat helped me see that if I changed the story I was telling myself, it would lead to different results. I was carrying the baggage of years of failures. Letting go of that was the first step I needed to take.â
Elaine completed three 20-minute sessions of high-intensity interval training per week and overhauled her diet to include more vegetables and good fats, and she echoes Patâs advice to keep it simple.
âJust do your actions, acknowledge your mini wins and keep going rather than getting bogged down in striving for perfection.â
Mother to Caoimhe, six, Sadhbh, four, and baby Oisin, 18 months, she says, beyond her personal weight-loss goals, she âwanted to set a good example to my children; show them you donât use food to regulate your emotions.
âOn previous diets, self-sabotage was an issue for me. If I gained weight, or was sad, or happy â any emotion at all â I resorted to food.â
From the outset, Elaine knew Patâs programme would be different, but she never imagined the impact a holistic approach would have on her life, her happiness, and even her parenting.
âBecause youâre identifying what youâre grateful for and the actions youâve successfully taken, that focus on the positive protects your confidence if you slip up,âshe says.
Additionally, Patâs strategy of identifying obstacles and taking preventative measures in advance helped her through potential trouble spots like holidays, birthday parties and Christmas.
Even a car crash in June failed to derail her efforts. âThat mindset shift was amazing for me,â she says. âProtecting my confidence in those ways was so helpful.â
To safeguard against emotional triggers, Elaine also learned to ârespond not reactâ to feelings, and now applies that to her parenting too.
âIf thereâs a tantrum, we sit down and say, âweâre not going to react, weâre going to respond to thisâ,â she says.
âItâs made such a difference to our house. I started this to lose a few pounds, but the impact on my life and my happiness has been so much deeper.â
Eight small steps toward a healthier, happier you in 2018
Write down three things youâre grateful for every morning. âThis takes you from a place of expectation to appreciation,â says Pat. âYouâre focused on what you have, instead of dwelling on what you donât have.â
âI want to remove the guilt and shame we feel about food,â Pat says.
âFood isnât good or bad, and you arenât good or bad because of something youâve eaten. Change that mindset; enjoy what you eat and pay attention to how food makes you feel.â
Pat steers clients towards meat, fish, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. He says if you make one change to your diet, âadd two fistfuls of veggies to your plate every day.â
âI want Irish people consuming more good fats,â says Pat, who cautions that crash diets which eliminate fats and carbohydrates can slow our metabolisms.
Fats have been demonised in the past and thatâs made us fearful of them, but increasing our intake of nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish - anything with omegas 3, 6 and 9 â is
âessential for hormonal, digestive and brain health,â says Pat, who supplements his intake with omega-rich Udoâs oil on salads and in smoothies.
To prepare meals without having to weigh or measure foods, Pat says, âPick a protein the size of your palm; add 2-3 tablespoons of healthy fats from oils, nuts or avocado; then fill your plate with veggies.â
âFind a form of training you enjoy and for your personal development commit to getting a little better every time you do it,â says Pat. âThe best way to do this is to have a goal, be it
running a 5K, reaching a certain weight, or getting the next belt in a martial art.â
Simple but effective, start tracking your steps, aiming for 10,000 steps per day on top of your regular training.
Keep setting new goals. âWhen I ask clients whoâve lost weight what their next goal is, often they say, âI just want to keep it off nowâ,â says Pat. âBut focusing on the weight you lost is like looking in the rear view mirror. Keep setting new goals and keep moving forward.â
Move to lose
Weâve all got busy lives, so when it comes to fitness, wellness coach Pat Divilly believes small, attainable, but consistent changes can gradually transform your body and your health.
âJust three workouts a week in 2018 will add up to over 150 training sessions throughout the year,â he says. âImagine the impact that will have.â
If youâre looking to drop unwanted fat and increase your fitness, Pat recommends High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Focusing on compound movements that work the body as a unit rather than isolating individual muscles, these five HIIT exercises are ideal for beginners looking to take their first steps towards improved fitness for 2018.
Pick an interval time.
For beginners Pat recommends five sets of 30 seconds work/30 seconds rest for each of the four exercises.
So, pick your first exercise, perform as many repetitions as you can for 30 seconds, then take a 30 second break.
Repeat 5 times, then move on to your second exercise.
As you get fitter, increase your interval to 40 seconds work/20 seconds rest; then 45 seconds work/ 15 seconds rest, giving yourself longer breaks.
Kneeling Push-Ups
Chest, arms, shoulders, core
Start with arms outside shoulder width and hands directly under your shoulders.
Resting your weight on your hands and your knees with a straight line from hip to shoulder.
Lower yourself, bending at the elbow and bringing your chest toward the floor before pushing back to the start position.
This is a great movement to get you stronger in the push-up position as you work toward full push-ups. Squeeze your tummy and glutes throughout to engage your core.
Push-Ups
Chest, arms, shoulders, core
Start with arms outside shoulder width and hands directly under your shoulders.
Resting your weight on your hands and your toes with a straight line from heel to hip to shoulder.
Lower yourself, bending at the elbow and bringing your chest toward the floor before pushing back to the start position.
Ensure you are bracing your glutes and tummy throughout the movement to engage the core and protect your lower back. This is a great progression from the kneeling push up.
Step-Up
Glutes and legs
Start standing in front of a step that is about mid-shin height.
Step your left leg onto the step and drive up to standing on both legs on the step. Lower one leg at a time in a controlled manner.
Focus on controlling the lowering part of the movement. Itâs easy to just drop your leg from the step to the ground, so instead focus on stepping down in a controlled manner that engages the legs.
Squats
 Legs and glutes
Start with feet around shoulder width apart.
Sit until your hips are as low as your knees, keeping your chest up and looking forward.
Push back up using your legs and return to the start position. Remember to keep your heels on the floor throughout.
Keep your posture straight and your chest proud, as if youâre trying to let someone read something on your chest. Beginners can sit back on to a chair if needs be.
Hip Bridge
 Glutes and hamstrings
Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and palms at your side facing up toward the ceiling.
Push your heels into the floor and push your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 2-3 seconds before lowering in a controlled manner.
To get the most out of the exercise focus on lowering in a controlled format. It is easy just to drop to the floor but focus on keeping tension on the muscle and lowering at a count of three.
Frame of Mind
You donât embark on a journey without a destination, and weight loss journeys are no exception. Having a goal for your health wonât require extra energy, but it will give
you focus.
Stop thinking about food or actions in emotive terms like good or bad; right or wrong. Instead, simply ask yourself at the end of each day, âDid todayâs actions move me closer my goal?â
Donât wait for the perfect time or plan to get healthy; start now. Keep it simple, always asking yourself, âwhatâs my next step?â Complexity overwhelms, but simplicity leads to action.
Fast track your success by seeking out role models. If you want to run a marathon, find people whoâve done it; learn from them and use their advice â donât try to reinvent
the wheel.
Itâs easy to renege on our goals if we only commit to them privately. Publicly stating them keeps us accountable, makes things happen, and strengthens our resolve to achieve them.
Successful people set big goals, but theyâre realistic about the challenges they face in achieving them. Identify 5-10 potential obstacles to your goal and put âprescriptionsâ in place to combat them.
Donât get disillusioned by comparing yourself to others. Commit to taking small steps every day, competing only with yourself. If you consistently move forward youâll do incredible things.
Practicing mindfulness for 10 minutes of silence each day helps us notice the thoughts, words and actions that are moving us forward, and the thoughts and behaviours that
are holding us back.
