A new year is a wonderful time to start your fitness journey. With a new year comes a new chapter, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t start it off right.
While it can often be easy to start with good intentions, it is not always easy to follow through. If you want to stick to your fitness goals this year, here are seven tips that can help.
1. Get the Right Gear
If you want to increase your physical activity this year, you need the right gear to prepare you. While there is no need to go overboard, you will need to stock up on the essentials. Make sure that you have your workout clothes like running hats and equipment essentials so that you can get started.
2. Hire a Trainer
A great asset in any fitness journey is a professional trainer. Having someone with the expertise to help guide you will be an immensely helpful resource. Not to mention that this is another person who can hold you accountable and help keep you on track. A professional trainer can coach you as you get started, but also continue to coach you as you progress.
3. Get a Workout Buddy
A trainer is not the only person who can help hold you accountable. If you could benefit from some additional support as you exercise, consider getting a workout buddy. In addition to holding you accountable, working out can also be a lot more fun when you do it with a friend.
4. Add an Element of Fun
Because working out can often feel like a burden or tiresome, it is often associated with negative emotions. However, adding some fun to it can vastly improve the experience. Find an activity that you love and that brings you joy. Whether you like to dance, cycle, take exercise classes with friends, or play sports, there are plenty of ways that you can make working out more fun. Not to mention that this can make your fitness goals more sustainable. Working out does not need to be a drudgery that you endure to enjoy better health.
5. Set SMART Goals
Whether you are focused on your fitness goals or other aspirations, you need to have realistic, manageable, and concrete plans. SMART goals can help you understand where you are, what you want to achieve, and how to get there. Don’t set yourself up for failure with vague, unachievable plans. Instead, develop skills that can set yourself up for success with goal setting.
6. Don’t Overdo It
A common mistake that many people make in striving toward new year’s goal success is overdoing it. This is likely to set you up for failure. If you want to ensure that you can stick to your goals, take it one day at a time and gradually build up. Trying to go from zero to one hundred at the change of the year will not only be disappointing, but will also burn you out faster than you may realize.
7. Focus On Progress
When it comes to goals associated with a new year, it can be all too easy to expect perfection. While this may sound like a great idea, focusing on perfection is a sure-fire way to fail. Instead of stressing out about unrealistic perfectionistic ideas, focus on your progress and keep showing up, one day at a time. With this progress-focused approach to your fitness journey, you can show yourself more compassion and create a healthier, more positive, and more sustainable path forward.
Fitness goals are all too common a new year’s charge. Year after year, it can feel frustrating to not see any progress. Instead of having another frustrating year, set yourself up for success with these useful tips. Don’t let your fitness goals slip away from you for another year when this can be the year you make a true change.
Photo by Alex McCarthy on Unsplash
