Push Your Resolutions Past The New Year

Most days, I walk into the gym around 8-9am and see the usual people scattered throughout. But at the beginning of January it’s a whole new scene. This morning for instance, I walked into the gym to see nearly every treadmill and elliptical already taken, which can be rather frustrating when you have an allotted time to get your workout done in. Come February/March, the people will slowly dwindle down as they give up on their New Year’s goals. Although it’s frustrating to have the sudden increase and to have to fight for a machine, it’s really sad to see that people give up so quickly. To make sure you stick with your resolutions and push them past the New Year, here are some tips you can follow!

Make sure your goals are truly yours

Don’t base your goals off of someone else’s accomplishments. It’s okay to have idols, or people that you admire through this process. But don’t forget that the main goal is your improvement. Striving towards what someone else has accomplished is a sure fire way to feel as though you’ve failed no matter what. Make your goals with only you and your needs in mind, not someone else’s.

Make your goals time-sensitive

Don’t get out there and just wing it. Make goals that have a time limit, and keep resetting that time with each step that you accomplish. Start with something simple, such as “I will improve my mile time by 2 minutes in 2 months.” or “I will lose 1 pound each week until I reach my ideal weight.” By making them time-sensitive it ensures that you’ll stay on track, and won’t just get bored after a month.

Don’t be vague

Identify exactly what you’re aiming to accomplish. If you simply say, “I want to lose weight.” rather than saying “I want to weigh 15 pound less.” than it’s easy to stop holding yourself accountable. Make the goal(s), put it down on paper, share it with whoever you want, and start the journey. Don’t be afraid to lay out the specifics just because you’re afraid to fail.

Keep it realistic

This is a category where many people set themselves up for failure. When you start making your goals, whether they be New Year’s goals or just mid-week goals, make sure you think long and hard about what’s important. No one knows your body and your mind better than you do. It’s perfectly okay, if not encouraged, to set a goal that forces you to improve upon your weaknesses. But don’t set a goal that you know you won’t reach, because it can end up having a negative effect on how you view the whole process.

Change the way you define “resolution”

Many people think of a New Year’s resolution as a temporary solution, but what they don’t see is that the problem is permanent. This means that it will persist until something truly changes. Stop looking at these goals and resolutions as a quick fix, and start seeing them as a lifestyle change. The beauty of creating your own goals is just that: you create them. When you begin your goal-making process, design goals that you can continue for a lifetime, not just a few weeks. These are goals that fit in with your schedule and your lifestyle, leaving no excuse for skipping out on them.

Learn to adapt

Whenever I make goals for myself, they typically start with a new exercise of some sort. I get all pumped up and excited to try it out, and I get disappointed to find that a few weeks later it’s not as exciting as it originally was. But I’ve learned to adapt. Not every week will be exhilarating, and that’s perfectly okay. Often times, boredom is a sign that your body is also bored, and it’s time to switch things up. So when you find yourself getting bored, spice it up a bit, or recruit some workout buddies. Chances are, there are people who are facing the same dilemmas and would love someone to workout with. So reach out!

What are your fitness “resolutions” so far? Any new goals?