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Success without Excess: A Letter from Tom Daley

Posted on 29th December 2016 by Sally Campbell

With Christmas now over, Olympian Tom Daley would like to offer us an alternative to the usual January crash diets and gruelling exercise regimes. His new book, Tom's Daily Plan, is an antidote to such fads; it outlines a health and fitness programme that is not only accessible to all, but easy to stick to long-term. The following introductory letter was written by Tom exclusively to Waterstones customers.

Hi Guys!

So… you indulged in the festive excess and you’re probably feeling a little guilty, right?!

It’s hard to turn your back on the endless lunches, dinners and Christmas tipples during the holidays, especially when it all tastes so good! Unfortunately, we know it can come with a price… a heavy, bulky, price!!

But no need to fret… always remember you can have success after excess. In my book, I’ve included some of my favourite dishes that cut out the overkill without sacrificing any of the flavour – such as the Ultimate Bacon Butty (my personal opinion!), classics like Chicken Ceasar Salad, Singapore Style Noodles to spice things up or this recipe for the ridiculously delicious Roasted Winter Vegetables with Griddled Halloumi for a lighter winter warmer.

Looking ahead to 2017, I’m sure loads of you have committed to a whole range of New Year’s Resolutions, as I have. But now that the time’s arrived, the prospect of sticking to them might seem daunting!?

Whether you’ve vowed to develop a new skill, discipline a character trait, kick a nasty habit or just improve a part of your life, here are a few life hacks and tips which are guaranteed to help you achieve your goal!

Set Achievable Goals! Break down your goal into steps, an achievable goal makes it easier to stay on track, reach your targets, and experience the thrill of success.
Learn To Say No: Bit of a cliché I know! However, focusing on yourself is what this New Year is all about. So learn to say no with conviction, and start saying yes to yourself!
Take A Break: Remember this is a New Year, not a new day, improvement takes time and won’t happen overnight. As soon as you feel a bit tired and sluggish, take some time for yourself, try a ten minute stroll outdoors. You’ll see the benefits!
Keep A Food Diary: Write down everything you eat and why. Become more aware of your emotional eating triggers, then it will be easier to adjust them and make healthy changes.
Build Fitness Into Your Life: Do this as and where you can, walk to work or to and from the shops, do star jumps during the ad breaks when watching telly. Slip in these mini sessions throughout your day.
Mix Up Your Workouts: Sticking to the same workouts over and over again won’t give you the best results. As your strength and endurance grows try to push yourself harder.