How to Stick to Your New Year Fitness Resolutions

Even if you’re not a big believer in making New Year’s resolutions, the start of the year is the perfect time to start fresh. Maybe you want to exercise more, lose weight or get stronger. Whatever your goals, these tips can help you to stick to your resolutions.

Make your resolutions realistic

Don’t set yourself up for failure before you even start. Deciding to never eat your favourite treat again is not a realistic goal. Look for ways you can cut back on the unhealthy treats instead. Likewise, if you’re not a morning person, getting up to workout at 5am might not be the best strategy. Try resolving to workout in the evening, or at least 3 times a week. You can always increase from there!

Start slowly

The saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is relevant to your fitness goals as well. It’s not going to be easy to change daily habits overnight. In fact, trying to cut all of your favourite foods from your diet can leave you feeling deprived. To make the changes to your diet and lifestyle maintainable, it might be best to make them gradually.

Talk about your resolutions

Talking about your New Year’s resolution to get fitter can help you connect with other people who have similar goals. Chatting with other people about your resolutions may also help you learn about workouts or techniques that you haven’t tried before.

Monitor your progress & celebrate your success

A great way to make your resolutions stick is to track your achievements and celebrate your hard work. Occasionally treating yourself when you hit milestones (like being able to do 10 push ups) can help you stay motivated. It’s a good idea to stay away from rewards of the chocolate variety — maybe choose to get a massage or buy a new workout top instead.

Don’t take setback personally

So you went out with friends on Friday night and didn’t make it to the gym on Saturday. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Do the best you can everyday and resist the urge to quit. Be mindful of the slip-up (in case it becomes a habit) and aim to do better next time.

These tips don’t just apply to New Year’s resolutions. They can also help if you are starting a new fitness routine and need some help sticking to it for the long term!