Yes, I thought so too.


For those who are familiar with what I do, you may read this article and think: "OMG, but she is paid to run around and do sit ups". The first of many excuses you may have already thought up as the pangs of guilt over that afternoon "office treat" start to take hold. Ok, so I may daily swap my Louboutin's for a pair of Nike Air Max trainers, but I do struggle with the day to day health and fitness battles.


So what is the key to tackling that lacklustre feeling of not wanting to go for a morning run? Or to stop making up excuses as to why you missed your weekly spin class? Erm... is that a Twix wrapper I see in your car? The magic word is goals - a single syllable word that carries endless possibilities.

Far too many of us enter a fitness regime without a clear goal or even direction of what we actually want. It normally takes some sort of trauma for us to get that kick start into fitness. For example, the mild trauma of getting tagged on Facebook in a picture where you seem to have extra "curves". There is also the embarrassment of having to buy two plane seats (when you're travelling solo). Whatever that trigger, it is normally a huge factor in the goal that has been set. The problem is that goal is often forgotten very quickly.

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle so here are some tips and tricks that have helped me to keep motivated along the way:

Start by writing your goal down.
Write them anywhere. My ideal place is on the fridge so I can see it just before I go and grab something that I shouldn't be eating. Also give yourself a range of goals - short term and long term. Tick them off when you achieve them and make some new ones.

Organise yourself.
Bad eating habits normally come from a lack of organisation. Grabbing that Subway sandwich on the go is not as healthy as you think. Start your week by planning your food, being prepared for that late stay at the office or a really early start.

Find a gym buddy.
Mainstream gyms are notorious for tying you into a 12 month contract and then only contacting you again for a renewal, leaving you with less money and no  weight loss. Find someone to get fit with. It can be your mother, boyfriend, girlfriend, whoever! Pushing them towards their goals will also help you with your own.

Be adventurous with your fitness.
Try new things and don’t be afraid to push yourself. Run outside in the rain, try climbing, skating or boxing. It may hurt at the time, but you’ll feel better when you see the results.

Enjoy yourself.
Exercise is proven to realise endorphins (happy hormones). You may not feel like working out when you’re going through your menstrual cycle, but it helps alleviate pains and balances the hormones. Find something you like to do and stick with it, once it gets easy enough go and seek your new high.

So now you’ve read my tips, how about you swap your Rosé for a water bottle and kick-start yourself back into shape!

Jeanette Kwakye is a British sprinter who reached the Olympic 100m final in Beijing, the first British woman to do so since 1984. She’s currently training for the London 2012 Olympic games.