Looking to set new fitness goals for the start of January? Whatever your goals, these tips will help you stay on track.
The start of a new year prompts us to reflect on what we want to change. With January being a dark and gloomy month, it’s common to set resolutions, often fitness-related, that will get us out of the house, join a gym, and help us look our best for the rest of the year.
Many people start by going for a run every day during the first half of January, others sign up for a gym membership that is set to be cancelled at the beginning of February.
In this article, we look at why New Year’s fitness resolutions fail, and how you can stay on track and achieve your fitness goals this year.
1- Make sure this resolution is important to you
It’s rare that a fitness goal is just about physical fitness. Whether it’s to bring more structure to your life, improve your mental health , sleep better, feel a sense of accomplishment after completing a run, or something else entirely, your New Year’s motivations should be personal to you.
Once you find that reason, use it as an anchor whenever you feel uncommitted or unmotivated. And if it’s strong enough, it will get you back on track. It’s a great start, anyway.
2- Be very clear about your goals and when you plan to achieve them
When you’re creating a fitness plan, it’s easy to make it a little vague and not confirm when you want to complete it or what the end goal will be. If you’re thinking about making a New Year’s resolution based on health and fitness, try doing the opposite.
Make your plan as concrete as possible, with a clear set of goals, a specific target, whether it’s a personal best, number of reps or something else, and a time frame when you want to achieve it.
It’s okay to realize that you’ve set a goal that you don’t think you can achieve, just lower it slightly so that it’s still challenging, but achievable.
3- Focus on daily habits
Big, ambitious goals are achieved through small, daily habits. Instead of making New Year’s resolutions focused on a distant end goal, like “run a marathon” or “lose fifteen pounds,” focus on the consistent steps it takes to get there.
Once you know where you want to be in three, six, or twelve months, work backwards and get more specific about what you need to do each day to reach your goal. Taking small steps consistently will help you bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
For example, if your goal is to lose ten pounds, decide how much time you will dedicate to daily exercise and healthy eating plans . Plan which days of the week you will exercise and for how long. Decide which day of the week you will meal prep and block out specific times in your schedule.
By shifting your mindset to focus on concrete actions that change your daily lifestyle, rather than letting days go by without taking action, you will make real progress and maintain a high level of motivation.
4- It’s okay to evolve your resolution
Following on from the previous point, instead of lowering a speculative goal, you can also build your New Year’s fitness plan by working outward. If you try to do too much too quickly, you risk losing your bearings on your resolution or, worse, injuring yourself. There’s nothing wrong with finding a goal you can achieve and then setting another one later on. Just because a goal wasn’t specifically set before the start of the new year doesn’t mean it’s not part of the resolution.
5- Find ways to hold yourself accountable
A great way to stick to a New Year’s resolution, whether it’s a fitness or work-related project, is to find a way to track your workouts, or more importantly, the times you don’t work out. One way to do this is to talk to people about your resolutions and goals.
It doesn’t have to be many, just have a few friends, preferably those who have also made resolutions, so you can check in on each other and feel accountable for your commitment to your goals.
If you don’t feel like sharing it with other people, you can also keep a fitness journal. As you get into the habit of filling out your workout schedule, you may realize that you’re not working out as regularly as you used to.
6- Keep an eye on your progress
Keeping track of your progress can play an important role in your New Year’s fitness plan.
Of course, it’s very important to discipline yourself by going out and training, but if you don’t track your progress, it will be difficult to know if you are truly sticking to your goals.
7- Try not to rely solely on motivation
Perhaps the best part about New Year’s resolutions is the motivation that a fresh start can bring. What happened last year can be remembered, and that provides motivation to change.
For many, however, this New Year’s optimism will only last for a short while, perhaps a month or two. While this may seem negative, it’s important to prepare for it and find ways to be ready for the days when you don’t feel as motivated and need other methods to stay on track.
It can be as simple as making a pros and cons list when you first start committing. It can be as simple as scheduling training days in your diary, finding a running buddy, or treating yourself to a treat to watch on TV after you finish each session. Whatever it is, the most important thing is to find what makes you tick.
8- Do what you can to make exercise fun
Again, the desire to get fit will be enough to motivate you to exercise initially, but it will be harder to find on some days. When deciding on your fitness plan and goals, also try to incorporate ways to make it as enjoyable as possible.
Whether it’s a weekly podcast, a music playlist you can add to each session, different types of exercises for each week so you don’t get bored, or a friend you only see to work out with. Make sure your exercise is as much fun as it is hardcore physical.
9- Create a reference point
To give your routine a more tangible direction, entering a competition related to your New Year’s fitness challenge ideas can give you the boost you need to keep going.
Whether it’s a 5k for runners, joining a 5-a-side football team or organising a tennis match in March or April. It’s a great way to keep going and stay on top of your fitness goals.
10- Don’t be too hard on yourself
If you do your best to stay committed, you will get the best results, but if you have some difficulties in reaching your goal, that’s okay. The key is to remember that you are doing this for no one but yourself and you can always pick up where you left off or even start over if you feel that is what your body needs.
If you start to feel yourself weakening, take one day at a time and focus on the positive aspects of your training so far.
If you get injured during your workout, just do the exercises that are still possible and if not, resume your program when you are recovered and ready. It is also not necessary that it be at the New Year that you restart your fitness program.