New Year’s Fitness Resolution. It is a whole new year, the start of a brand new page. It is the time when most of us are determined to make a better version of ourselves and vowed to stick to it throughout the year. Remember that time you swore “it is going to be my year” but it is now the end of January–time to check in where your motivation went!
Making New Year’s Resolution is a tradition to some— you know those moments you swore you are going to change that, quit that, start that. Some of our goals when the new year starts is to become healthier, fitter, and stronger. This is why some people start getting a gym membership and buying exercise equipment and workout clothes which are all a good start to the year. But of course, making New Year’s Resolutions is easier said than done. The next thing you know, it is already February, and you are now back into your old patterns.
Some of us fall short of reaching our goals, so below are helpful tips to help yourself stick to your New Year’s Resolutions and make sure it turns into a long-term habit!
Nail Your New Year’s Fitness Resolution
- Set realistic goals
While there is nothing wrong with having many resolutions, trying to do too much at once might be daunting. It is essential to be realistic when coming up with things that you want to change, quit or start with. For example, this year you decided you want to commit to a more consistent sleep pattern, but you work on rotating schedules. It is not something you can’t control and that makes it an unrealistic goal to attain. Instead, you may want to set a goal that you can commit to, like reading and finishing a book every week. That sounds even more realistic, right? Additionally, reading improves sleep quality.
- Ask yourself why you want this
You can’t accomplish any goal without having proper motivation. So ask yourself, why am I doing this? Whatever your reason may be, it must outweigh all the laziness in you. So if you want to lose 5 pounds every month–try doing pilates or running around the neighbourhood wearing your favourite activewear. Whenever you feel like you are falling off the wagon again, go back to the very reason why you are doing this!
- Make your fitness goals measurable and time specific
Do not plan your goals on a whim, breathe and think carefully. Plan strategically, and make your goals measurable and time specific. Let’s say, your goal is to exercise “more” and lose weight. While those are awesome goals, they should be detailed. If you want to exercise more, it can be a 30-minute walk with your furry buddy, or if you want to lose weight, how much weight? Let’s say your goal is to lose 10 pounds–put a time frame on it and break it down into chunky pieces. So 10 pounds would be equal to 2.5 lbs per week in a month. If you need more help with this, there are a lot of fitness calculators online that can do the math for you.
- Do not repeat past failures
If your resolutions are the same as last year and they did not work, try and re-evaluate the reasons why and avoid repeating them. Which strategies were effective and which are not? What kept you from reaching those goals last year?
By changing your perspective and approach, you are more likely to see better results this year.
- Get a strong support system
Find someone to keep you accountable and motivate you. Starting a new workout routine can be more exciting with someone alongside you. Finding a workout buddy or joining a fitness group can be a great idea to keep you on track and practice accountability. Plus, you can go shopping together, and buy workout clothes that make you feel good about yourselves.
- Reward yourself
It does not always have to be about working out, make time for yourself too. Reward yourself, it does not have to be big, for example, get that pizza you have been craving for the past week. Or go to that activewear sale you have been holding off for a while as a reward for making it to the gym this week! Every little step you take can go a long way.
- Keep a fitness journal—keep track of your progress
Keeping track of your progress can be a great way of motivating yourself to keep working on your goals. You can write it in a journal or put it on your phone. Take as many photos as you can so you can see them yourself. Write down your achievements and missteps, pretty much everything that can keep you motivated.
- Keep in mind that success isn’t linear
Do not put too much pressure on yourself when you see your friend on Facebook with her six-pack abs, be patient with yourself. We have different timelines. There will be days when you will feel amazing and days when things won’t be easy. What is important is you do not quit, keep in mind that change is a process. Those habits that you are trying to get rid of probably took years to develop. So deep breaths sis, and remember how far you’ve come and how amazing you are!
- Consistency is the key!
This may be a cliche, but being consistent plays a vital role in achieving the results that you want. Establish a routine that works for you and eventually, it will turn into a long-term habit. Learn and adapt, every time you encounter a setback, do not view it as a failure because that is how you will relapse into your old habits. Be more organised, for example before going to bed at night, form a habit of laying out your workout clothes and gym bottle in one place, so when you wake up, it will remind you of everything you have planned when the new year starts.
- Constantly raise the bar
So you achieved your fitness goal for this week, good for you! There will be days that you will feel complacent, but please do not be, because that is how you fall off the wagon. Each time you achieve something, dare to raise the bar and believe that you can do better than that. Constantly reminding yourself to become better than what you were yesterday will help you nail those New Year’s Resolutions.
Wrapping It Up
Making New Year’s Resolutions and sticking to them can have a positive impact on your life but sometimes it is not a walk in the park. There will be bumps along the way but never be discouraged. Change requires resilience, try not to think of how tired you are during a workout session or how difficult it is to quit smoking–focus on the good that it can bring you.
May all your New Year’s Resolutions become a long-term habit, if you need more workout clothes to motivate you in your fitness journey, check out our impressive selection here at Kate Galliano. If you have additional enquiries, you may contact us at contact@kategalliano.com.
