MAKING CENTS: Lose the pounds without losing the euro too

Consumer advice with Gráinne McGuinness

The decorations are ready to come down and even the unloved stragglers in the chocolate selections have been polished off at this stage. Christmas is most definitely over and many of us will be aiming to recover from the festive indulgence with health and fitness resolutions. Time will tell if we will stick to them in the long-term but in the meanwhile here are some ways to minimise the costs of a new-found commitment to health.

If you simply want to get yourself moving more frequently, you should consider a couch to 5k plan. These programmes are designed to get absolute beginners from the first walk to running 5km, building up over six to nine weeks. There is no need for a personal trainer, just google ‘couch to 5k’ to find a range of free plans online and choose one that suits you. If you have a smartphone you can go one better and download an app to keep you on track. There are a number of free versions available; the C25K from Zen Labs is one of the most popular and is free on both iTunes and Android. Initially these plans only look for 30 minutes exercise three times a week, gradually increasing in intensity — so you don’t need to buy expensive, top-of-the-range trainers from the start. The ones in the back of your wardrobe (from last January maybe) will get you started and you can reward yourself with snazzy new runners when you’ve achieved your first 5k and are confident you will keep it up.