How to Cook the Best Budget-Friendly Cut of Steak

Steak is probably considered a more expensive choice of meal; something you might have as a weekend treat and as we start to feel the pinch of the increase in the cost of living, saving money on our weekly food shop has become a priority which might make you think that steak is off the menu. 

You might be forgiven for thinking that a cheaper cut of steak means that you're compromising on quality but that doesn't have to be the case if you buy from a reputable butcher and you cook it correctly. I recently ordered some flat iron steak from Swaledale Butchers which is much more budget friendly at less than £10 for 2 steaks. 

Swaledale Butchers say 'Flat Iron, a tender steak that boasts flavour to match the prime steaks. Cut from beneath the shoulder blade of the beast by our skilled butchery team, it is naturally lean, sinew-free and perfect to cook year-round.' 

I enjoy my steak medium rare so the following cooking instructions will produce steak that is cooked as such:

1. Take Flat Iron steaks out of fridge, remove packaging, pat dry with kitchen paper, pop on a plate and allow to reach room temperature

2. Oil the steaks and season generously with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper

3. Heat a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet until smoking hot

4. Add the Flat Irons to the dry pan resisting the urge to move them and turn after 2 minutes

5. Once other side has cooked for 2 minutes, a rich golden crust should have formed. Turn every 30 seconds or so for a total cooking time of approx. 6-8 minutes

6. Remove from pan and rest for 8 minutes

7. Slice across the grain and serve

As you can see, I served mine with simple accompaniments of fries and tender stem broccoli and I think this works really well when keeping the meal as simple as possible. No sauce required because the steak was so flavoursome!

Tips for getting the most out of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is back at Walt Disney World for the first time since 2019 and the whole experience can feel like a bit of a minefield for a first-timer. There's lots of things that are worth knowing before you go to make sure you get the most out of your party time so I thought I'd answer some of the most common questions asked about Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Q: Do I need a park reservation for the day of the party?

A: No you don't. MNSSHP is an after hours event which requires a separate ticket. You do not need daytime park admission at all, you can just buy the event ticket.

Q: What time can I enter the park for MNSSHP?
A: You can enter the park any time after 4pm with an event ticket. If you'd like to enter before that you must have a daytime park ticket plus a valid park reservation for that day. 

Q: If I'm already in the park, can't I just stay for MNSSHP?
A: Not unless you have an event ticket. There are several points around the park where you can have your event ticket scanned and you'll be given a MNSSHP wrist band but if you don't have an event ticket you will be ushered out by cast members at 6pm. There's no sneaking around it either; they will want to see a wristband to enter shops, restaurants, rides etc. They're well versed in weeding out those who don't have a party ticket - trust me!

Q: What's different about MNSSHP compared to a normal park day?
A: They have a myriad of halloween specials to enjoy throughout the evening; from shows, parades and firework specials to exclusive halloween themed food, merchandise, ride overlays, rare character meet and greets and trick or treating locations. Here are this year's parade and show times:

Q: When should I see the parades and shows?
A: This is obviously down to personal preference and other advice out there would suggest seeing later shows as the crowds are usually less. However, given that you often can't rely on Florida weather, I would recommend seeing earlier shows if there's something you really have your heart set on; that way you have the best chance of seeing the show/parade if the weather is looking a bit rainy/stormy (heavy rain and lightening will cancel/delay shows and parades due to cast member safety). There is only one Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show so make sure you're ready for that at 10.15pm. 

Q: Where can I get halloween candy at MNSSHP?
A: If you collect one of the party maps on entry it shows all the trick or treat locations marked with an orange lolly.

Q: Can I only go through each treat station once?
A: Nope! You're more than welcome to go through the treat stations as many times as you'd like - the cast members won't stop you!

Q: Do they provide a treat bag to keep all the candy in?
A: Yes they do - this year it's an exclusive 50th Anniversary 'Boo To You' bag. They are quite small though so I would recommend taking a backpack with you so you can either put any excess candy in there or you can put your treat bag into your backpack for ease when you go on the rides. 

Q: What candy do they offer at MNSSHP?
A: This year (2022) it seems to be a whole lot of Snickers plus Snickers brownie, Snickers peanut butter, Milky Way, Starburst, M&Ms (3 or 4 different varieties), Skittles and Twix. It does say 'Dove' on the treat stations and they are sponsored by Mars Wrigley but the word is that there have been supply issues with some variations of treats.

Q: Do they cater for allergies at MNSSHP?
A: Yes they do! If you need allergy friendly treats you can pick up a special bag at the first treat station (turn right as you enter the park, don't go down Main Street - it's all very well signposted), then there are special locations around the park marked with a teal Mickey pumpkin head on the map where you can collect special allergy friendly tokens. At the end of the night you can redeem your tokens for allergy friendly treats down Main Street to the left of Guest Services or in Liberty Square behind the Sleepy Hollow quick service location. A word of warning though - it looks like they're a little more 'conservative' with the allergy friendly treats than the regular ones...

Q: Which characters can I meet at MNSSHP?
A: Character meet and greet opportunities aren't clear on the map so just to give you a flavour of where they are this year:
- Jack & Sally at Town Square Theatre
- Halloween Mickey at Town Square Theatre
- Jafar, Jasmin and Genie and Captain Jack Sparrow have been spotted in Adventureland (as well as Abu on occasion!)
- Belle & Gaston, Ariel & Eric, Winnie the Pooh and Friends, Minnie, Donald and Daisy as well as the Queen of Hearts, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dum, and Tweedle Dee can be spotted in Fantasyland
- Stitch and George Sanderson can be found in Tomorrowland
You might notice the absence of the Seven Dwarves which has historically been a really popular meet and greet at MNSSHP but no sign of them this year *sad face*.

Q: Can you meet the Sanderson Sisters at MNSSHP?
A: Unfortunately not - that would be my dream!

Q: What are the must dos at MNSSHP?
A: This, again, is down to personal preference. I would prioritise two or three things that you really want to do - whether that's specific meet and greets or shows/parades and plan your night around those. Be aware that the longest queues will be for character meet and greets - especially Jack and Sally which has been known to reach 4 hours long quite quickly.

Q: Which rides have special overlays at MNSSHP?
A: Pirates of the Caribbean has live actors, Space Mountain is Completely in the Dark, Monster's Inc Laugh Floor is transformed into a treat location with audience interaction as you pass through and Haunted Mansion has live actors in the queue line. 

Q: Are ride wait times low at MNSSHP?
A: Historically yes. I don't remember waiting any longer than 35 minutes for any ride, even things like Seven Dwarves Mine Train which always has a big queue! Most things were a walk on. If you don't have any daytime admission to Magic Kingdom after hours events are a great opportunity to ride some of your favourite rides without some of the hideous wait times which are often in the blazing sun!

Q: Can adults wear costumes at MNSSHP?
A: Yes they can! One of the only occasions that Disney allow this for adults. Click here for more guidance and rules on costumes at MNSSHP

Q: Ultimate question: Is MNSSHP worth the money?
A: It is if you don't have any other day admission to Magic Kingdom because you get to experience the park with lower crowds for 8 hours (4pm-12am) plus all the Halloween extras which is well worth it. The jury is out though if you're buying an after hours ticket on top of daytime admission - I think everyone should experience MNSSHP once if you're a fan of Halloween!

Florida Travel Day - Manchester to Orlando International Airport flying with Virgin Atlantic

We were up bright and early as always but I must admit it was ideal just being able to walk straight out of the hotel into the terminal and not worrying about traffic. As we walked down the Skylink walkway we noticed a humongous queue and I thought 'ooh dear here we go, here's the security line everyone's been talking about' - luckily for us it wasn't, it was the TUI queue. On this occasion the baggage belt had malfunctioned meaning they couldn't check bags in as normal; thankfully Virgin was much quieter so we checked in and off we went to security.

We did pay £5 for the security fast track but it wasn't open so we still had to queue as normal; it took around 45 minutes but the staff were very aware of potential passengers who would miss departures so they kept coming round to ask about departure times which I thought was efficient given the circumstances. 

We went up to Amber Ale House for some breakfast - I had a cooked breakfast (which was underwhelming tbh) and Kev had overnight oats. It was at this point I could see Kev was getting increasingly anxious about the flight. He had never flown long haul before and had only flown twice before so he was really, really worried about it. 

He didn't eat much and requested some time outside so we went out into the smoking area (the only airside outdoor area). I was at a loss to know what to say to him to put his mind at rest because I know what it's like to have a horrendous phobia (I have one about the dentist) but I tried to explain how it would all be worth it in the end. 

About 1.5 hrs of back and forth conversation later Kev suddenly said 'I can't, I can't do it, you're going to have to go on your own'. I tried to reason with him and encourage him to at least look on the plane but he was having none of it so we went to find someone to see what we needed to do as I knew he couldn't exit the terminal on his own; he'd have to be escorted out. 

We were told to go to the Virgin check-in desk where they were getting ready to board and I explained our situation. By this point we were both in tears, the lady said we had to get his bag off which was a slight issue as half my stuff was in there so we would have to repack before putting it back on but she said just hang on a minute let me see if there's any cabin crew available. 

Ade, the cabin manager, came off and literally laid on the floor in front of kev who was sat on a seat and talked him through everything that was worrying. After about 10-15 mins of chatting he invited us to board the plane first to have a look with no obligation to stay on. When we got on he said we could sit wherever there was a space, we were already in premium and decided to keep our original seats as it was the back 2 near the bulk head. Ade also said we could get up and go to the upper class bar whenever as long as the seatbelt sign wasn't on. I feel like at this point Kev pushed himself to stay on the plane; obviously premium is a bit more spacious and there IFE etc. so we sat down and belted up.

After about 20 mins we were ready for take off and as the plane pushed back I cried tears of relief that he had actually got on the plane with me; I'd prepared myself to go alone but obviously it wasn't what I wanted to do at all. The flight was pretty smooth; the food was ok (I had paneer curry which lacked paneer haha) and the IFE was also ok. I started to watch Boiling Point - all the while keeping an eye on kev who didn't eat anything but I encouraged him to keep drinking water. 

About 2.5 hrs into the flight he had a bit of a wobble; the beginnings of a panic attack. So we stood up and went to the upper class bar. I gave him a cuddle and reassured him that he was going to be ok; another lovely member of cabin crew came to help too and got us chatting about something else which really helped. After about 30 minutes he was ready to go back to our seat. 

We had our own personal watch party watching Kingsman and then the afternoon tea came which was lovely; some little sandwiches and a scone. Again, Kev didn't eat a thing but still kept drinking water. After that we got the ipad out and watched Sex and the City 2 the movie; although it's not really Kev's cup of tea I think it was familiar for him because I watch it over and over at home. I do think watching movies 'together' really helped to calm him and keep his mind off the flight. 

By the time we'd finished watching the ipad we were starting to descend. I was so proud of Kev for facing his fear and getting on the plane - I knew it would all be worth it in the end. Ade brought us over a bottle of champagne as a congratulations for Kev completing his first long haul flight which I thought was so lovely - the whole Virgin crew were absolutely amazing! 

When we landed at MCO I had another little quiet cry in the walkway to the terminal; the smell and familiar surroundings just made me realise that I'd finally made it back after 5 years. Security was an absolute breeze - no queues and we had a short wait for the bags. Then it was off on to the monorail into arrivals to wait for our friends Daniel and Jacob to kindly pick us up. 

We arrived at our hotel the Wyndham Orlando Resort iDrive at around 5pm. I have to say I was quite underwhelmed by the room; it was tired and in need of an update but it was fine - it was a bed. We decided to go over to Giordanos for some food which was absolutely amazing (we had the sharer starter and shared a classic chicago deep dish pizza) and made our way back to the hotel for another early night ready for our first park day in Hollywood Studios!

Home Safety: How To Make Your Home Safe

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Making your home safe is one of the most important things you can do to protect your family. There are several steps you can take to make your home less dangerous and more secure. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most important ways to make your home safe. We will cover topics such as fire safety, childproofing, and security measures. You can help keep your loved ones safe from harm by following these tips.

Smoke Alarm and Fire Extinguisher 

One of the most important ways to make your home safe is by installing a smoke alarm. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that can be produced by burning fuel. It is odorless and colorless, so you may not know it is there until it is too late. A smoke alarm can help save lives in the event of a fire. It is also essential to have a fire extinguisher in your home. Then, if a fire does break out, you will be able to put it out quickly and safely. You can also research some top tips for a fire-resistant bathroom and other areas in your home and implement them. 

Light it Up
Another way to make your home safe is by keeping it well-lit. Ensure all entrances and exits are well-lit and consider adding motion detector lights near doors and windows.

Securing Valuable Items 
You can make your home safer by securing valuable items. For example, keep expensive jewelry and electronics hidden away, or install a safety deposit box to store them in. If burglars can see valuable items through your windows, they may be tempted to break in. 

Childproofing
Another way to keep your family safe is by childproofing your home. You can do many things to childproof your home, such as installing safety gates and covers on electrical outlets. You should also keep dangerous objects like knives and chemicals out of reach of children.

Case of an Emergency Plan 
It is also essential to have a plan in place in case of an emergency. For example, you should know how to get out of your home if there is a fire and where to go if there is an earthquake or another disaster. You should also have a list of emergency numbers, such as the police, fire department, and ambulance, handy in case you need them.

Get to Know Your Neighbours
Neighborhood watch programs are a great way to deter crime. Get to know your neighbors and be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

How to Protect your Vehicles at Home

It’s no secret that Britain is a nation filled with motoring enthusiasts. Unfortunately, car crime is still rife, and many cars get stolen or broken into each month across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

You may live in an area with a reasonably low crime rate. But, that doesn’t mean crime rates won’t rise in the future. You’re obviously reading this article because you care about your cars, and you want to make sure they’re safe and secure while they’re outside your home.

But, what steps can you take to ensure their security? Check out the following suggestions for some inspiration:

Park Your Cars Out Of Sight

The first thing you need to do is find a way of storing your vehicles out of public view. That means parking their cars in two bay oak garages for most people. The thing about parking cars in garages is they aren’t visible to people in the public eye.
Let’s face it: you can’t steal something that isn’t there, so hiding your cars in plain sight is a brilliant way to thwart any potential theft attempts.

Use A Steering Wheel Lock
If you can’t park your cars in a garage, another thing you can do is consider a visual deterrent like a steering wheel lock. They are simple devices that fit through the gaps in steering wheels and get made of solid metal.
What’s more, their design makes it virtually impossible to remove forcibly. An opportunist car thief is unlikely to steal a car if they have to spend a lot of time trying to achieve that goal. They’d rather opt for a vehicle with no steering wheel lock fitted.

Store Your Keys In A Faraday Pouch
Many of today’s modern vehicles feature keyless entry systems. The trouble with such systems is they are incredibly vulnerable, and a pair of car thieves can easily steal such a vehicle in seconds.
If you store your car keys in a Faraday pouch, the signals from the keyfobs will get blocked, meaning car thieves cannot duplicate the signals that would enable them to unlock vehicles and start their engines.

Install CCTV
CCTV is both a visual deterrent and an excellent way to capture any criminal activity, such as attempted thefts of your vehicles. If you invest in a high-quality HD security camera system, you will have visual evidence of people trying to steal your cars.
What’s more, modern CCTV systems allow you to record footage at night thanks to night vision, infrared technology. Today’s CCTV security systems can often get linked to the cloud, meaning you can view footage from anywhere around the world.

Install A Fuel Pump Cut-Off Switch
Lastly, consider installing a hidden fuel pump cut-off switch. It’s a simple security measure that you can fit to any vehicle, and if you hide the switch, no one will know it exists! With the switch enabled, no one will be able to start your vehicle.
Make sure when entrusting someone with your car, give it a refresh or service, for example, that you keep your fuel pump cut-off switch disabled.

Final Thoughts
If you want to ensure people won’t try to steal your vehicles, the above ideas will help you achieve that goal.

As Fresh As A Daisy: The Secrets Of People Who Have Homes That Smell Beautiful

Do you ever walk into somebody’s home and stop in your tracks to think: “this smells beautiful”? If so, you’re not alone. It turns out that making indoor spaces smell as wonderful as a lavender meadow is something that you can achieve yourself. It’s just a matter of know-how. 

Find out what to do below: 

Light A Candle

If you have a lot of stinky smells in your home, light a candle. Candles have a wonderful ability to transform how rooms both feel and smell. 

When choosing a candle, be sure to pick one with essential oils and made of soy wax. This combination offers the ultimate in terms of health, wellbeing and effect. For a relaxing scent, choose either frankincense, lavender or eucalyptus. 

Clean The Carpets

Vacuuming will only remove so much debris from your carpets. If you really want to remove all the odour-causing particles, you’ll need to do some proper carpet cleaning. 

When it comes to cleaning your carpets, you have two options. You can either try doing it yourself with a wet vac, or you can get professionals to do it for you. Once the job is done, you’ll notice just how much fresher and lighter everything smells. For some households, it can make a tremendous difference. 

Deodorise Your Shoes

Stinky shoes left in the hallways can produce bad smells that flow throughout the home. If you have a shoe rack, keep some deoderiser nearby, particularly during the summer when people are sweating more. 

Open The Window

You can also reduce the number of smell particles in your home by opening a window. Just leaving it slightly ajar will allow the air to diffuse, with any bad smells eventually making their way outside. 

Clean Your Sofa Upholstery

Just like carpets, sofas can become a magnet for bad smells. Their fibres trap odour-causing compounds and then release them slowly over time. 

Again, to clean your sofa, you’ll need to hire a professional. They follow a special technique that allows them to essentially dry clean your furniture so that it’s ready again for you to use the next day. They also impregnate it with odour-cancelling particles so that it stays smelling fresher for longer. 

Use Essential Oil On Your Air Conditioning Filter

Essential oils smell great when placed in regular diffusers. But you can also combine them with your air conditioning system. As air circulates, it will pick up scent molecules from the oil and distribute them around your home. 

You don’t need much essential oil to create the desired effect. Just a few drops will suffice. 

Use Vinegar While Cleaning

Plain white vinegar smells quite pungent when you use it, but it is actually one of the best cleaning substances there is for making your home smell great. Its chemical structure allows it to grab onto odour-producing molecules and sweep them away. It is well worth using in both the kitchen and bathroom. Don’t worry: that sour smell will soon evaporate away, leaving everything looking and smelling fresh. 

Why People Sell Their Homes

Selling a house is a huge deal. You are going to spend a lot of time packing, cleaning and decorating to ensure that your home is perfect, and that takes some time. Selling your house isn't going to be the easiest thing to do, but if you know why you’re doing it it becomes much more of a simple process.

There are plenty of reasons that people choose to sell their home, and getting rid of a house can save you time, money and above all - stress! It could even stop your bank from repossessing your house if you’re at risk of that. If you want cash in your pocket quickly, selling your house for over market value is going to make a big difference. It’s a sellers market right now and having your home valued is the first step. Below, we’ve got some of the reasons that you should look at selling your house at last!

• Repairs. Your house might be falling to bits and while you can invest the money to make the repairs, you might just want to sell the house and get rid of it. The best thing that you can do, however, is make the right repairs and then sell it so that you can upgrade it. If your house is always falling apart, you might want it off your shoulders so you no longer have the stress all over it. 
• You inherited it. If you have been given a house in a Will, you’re likely going to choose to sell it so that you can benefit from the money you get. You might not have a need for a house, and if you don't you can sell it off and not worry about it anymore! You will benefit from the cash, too.
• Avoiding more taxes. Owning a property can mean more taxes to pay, and failure to pay this means that you are going to end up with more being paid out than you could want. Selling as soon as possible means that you can stop paying property taxes on a house you don't even use. 
• You can’t keep up with the payments. People lose their jobs all the time and if you are one of them, then you need to think about how you plan to pay your mortgage. If you can’t do it, you might think about selling up and downsizing to a property that’s smaller and easier to manage.
• You need more space. If you are growing your family or your teenagers seem much bigger than they used to, then selling your house and moving to a new one is a smart thing to do. Buying another house can make a huge difference to your bank balance and it can be so much easier to move somewhere smaller. 

There are many more reasons than this to sell your home, but if you know why you’re doing it it’s going to be so much easier to go ahead and let it go!

Top Tips for Redecorating Your Home

Your home is where you are going to spend a lot of your free time, so make sure you like it and you are happy in it is really important. However, it can be hard to know what you can do to spruce up the home and redecorate to make sure you are happy with it, there are a few different things you can do to help redecorate your home and make it somewhere you are happy to live and that you want to spend time in. It is easy to get bored of your home so redecorating is an easy way to refresh the home. 

Although it might seem overwhelming to start with, it doesn't have to be a huge job because you can make some really simple changes which make all the difference to the look of your home; whether it's a fresh lick of paint or a few decorative bits such as some funky prints or maybe even a neon sign. Here are a few tips on how you can prepare and redecorate your home to make it somewhere you are happy to live in.

Make sure you plan

The best thing to do when you start renovating or decorating is to plan out everything you are looking to do. By planning this out properly you are less likely to have issues and you can make sure that you are not going to have to redecorate again anytime soon. When planning take into consideration appliances and other certain aspects of the house that could have issues, although you are not changing them before redecorating, it is best to make sure they are insured and that they are maintained and working. This helps to stop unnecessary redecorating due to faults. Also, make sure you are planning your themes and everything you want to change too.

Start with the big things first
When redecorating it is best to start with the big things first, things like furniture, walls, and floors are a great place to start. This is because it sets the tone for the rest of the house, making it easier to guide you through the theme and make sure you know what you want. For example, if you have a particular theme but you are stuck on colour then buying the furniture you want first and deciding on that colouring will help you determine how to decorate the rest of the room. You could get the lion knocker chairs you wanted for example and then build around them to help build up the theme and colours you were looking for.

Make sure to utilise good lighting
When it comes to redecorating or decorating in general the thing people can tend to overlook is the lighting in their home. If you look at what the professionals do they are always utilising good lighting for their designs. This can be done by adding decorative mirrors to a room that has bright lighting to make it shimmer and reflect the light around the room and increase the lighting in that room. By doing this you are utilising the lighting you have without having to add more and also decorating the room at the same time.
If you are looking to redecorate your home and give it a bit of an uplift, but you are unsure where to start or what you can do to make this happen. Then hopefully, these few tips will give you some ideas of what you can do to get started with your redecoration.

Top Tips For An Easy Stress-Free Home Move

Whether you have decided to move across the world to pursue your dreams, or have decided to downsize your home - moving is a big deal. After all, even if you are only travelling a short distance away, you have to uproot your family and move away from a familiar space into somewhere totally new. In addition, the entire process - from finding the right home to signing the contract - can be incredibly time-consuming and expensive.

As a result, many people associate moving with intense levels of stress. However, it doesn’t have to be that way - you just need to be plan ahead. With that in mind, here are some simple steps you can take to make the process as stress-free and exciting as possible! 

Put together a moving timeline. While you may be excited to move into your dream property right away, it’s important that you do not try to rush the process. Doing so could cause you to make mistakes that cost you further down the line. Furthemore, it’s also likely that you’ll need to save up some money ahead of time  - especially if you are a first-time buyer.  

Know what you are looking for in a property. Every day, hundreds of properties are introduced to the market - meaning that you can easily spend hours browsing real estate sites or attending open houses. Therefore, in order to streamline the process, you need to have a clear idea of what you are looking for ahead of time - think location, size, and amenities. The more specific you can be, the better. 

Don’t do the paperwork yourself. Very few people actually enjoy doing paperwork, however, when you are prepping to buy a house and completing the necessary documents it’s important that you don’t make any mistakes. One faulty transaction could result in you losing the home and having to return to square one. Therefore, you can save yourself a great deal of time and stress and ensure you get it done right by utilising conveyancing services - such as those offered by Gorvins Residential.

Pack a little bit at a time. Packing is boring - there’s no denying it. However, this does not mean that you should put it off until the last possible minute - otherwise, you’ll be stood surrounded by boxes, ready to scream by the time that the movers pull up. Instead, you should aim to give yourself a headstart on the packing by beginning to pack a few weeks before the big move. Start small, and begin with the items you won’t need ahead of time. The earlier you start, the easier it will feel. 

Find an outlet for your stress. While the above steps are a great way to reduce any pressure you may feel when moving, it’s important that you find a necessary outlet that helps you let go of your stress too. For example, if you feel like you simply cannot look at any more paperwork - give yourself a break and do something that you love. Alternatively, you can remind yourself exactly why you are moving in the first place - and that a fresh start is just around the corner.

3 Tips for Starting a New Fitness Journey

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Out of all the different New Year’s resolutions that get made time and time again, and that often fall by the wayside pretty quickly, the commitment to start a new fitness routine must be somewhere near the top of the list.

Everyone basically knows that being physically active on a regular basis is very beneficial in all sorts of different ways, ranging from better health, to improved mood, higher confidence, and more.

The thing is, starting a new fitness journey – and sticking with it over the long term – can be a bit daunting.

Here are a few great tips to try out when starting a new fitness journey, so that you get the most out of the experience.

Reduce barriers to getting started (and consider creating a home gym setup)

A lot of what gets in the way of a new fitness routine is often the fact that our natural mental resistance to doing something difficult meets some external barrier or obstacle, and our willpower or resolve crumbles as a result.

Maybe you go for weeks without missing a workout, then one day you’re tired after work, it’s raining, you have a long drive to the gym, and you just can’t be bothered.

One of the best ways of improving your consistency on your fitness journey is by taking steps to reduce the barriers to getting started as much as possible.

One great option could be to consider creating a home gym setup, whether that means contacting a Basement Construction Company and having a fully kitted out gym built at your property, or whether it just means getting a few resistance bands and a yoga mat.

Focus on getting the habit of working out solidified, and be consistent with timing

If you can make working out a habit, and a more or less established part of your everyday routine, it is usually going to be a lot easier to ignore that little voice in your mind that tells you to skip your workout and go back to bed, and to just get up and get exercising instead.

When you’re first getting your fitness routine established, focus specifically on making it a habit, before you really work on increasing intensity, or anything else.

Pick a set time of day when you will do your workouts, and make a point of showing up regularly and being consistent with your timing.

Go for forms of exercise that you genuinely enjoy

So, you hate using the elliptical trainer at your gym, but your friend told you that it’s the best way to get your cardio in, so you force yourself to hit the elliptical day after day.

Do you think that this is ultimately going to make you more or less likely to stick with your fitness journey over time?

Although there are all sorts of commonly repeated guidelines out there about the best way to work out, the basic fact of the matter is that you can get fit by doing a huge range of different activities – so you might as well go for forms of exercise that you actually, genuinely enjoy.

Try a dance class, or a martial arts class. Go jogging in nature, or cycle to work. Whatever you do, just take steps to make your fitness routine enjoyable and fulfilling.