Improving health and fitness are popular genres for resolution lists. If you’re excited to start the new year getting stronger and are ambitious to get healthy, but unsure how to keep the momentum through the year, this simple break down can help you stay committed to achieving your fitness goals.
Create Monthly Milestones
There's nothing wrong with committing to a big New Year’s fitness resolution, but creating smaller and individual monthly benchmarks will make it easier to reach. Breaking your goal into smaller milestones will also help keep your motivation throughout the year. Whether your goal is to lose a few pounds, eat cleaner, or exercise more regularly, setting smaller targets will give you a reason to celebrate your progress as you move closer to that bigger goal you set for yourself.
Try Three New Activities
You may have tried and been unsuccessful in achieving a fitness goal in the past. That’s okay because the year is filled with opportunities for trying something new! Re-treading the same path and exercise plan as before may not be the best course of action. Expand your horizons by trying at least three new activities that are easy and fun.
Here are a few ideas to get started with.
- Start or end your day with a brisk walk. Walking is good for increasing your heart rate and moving your muscles.
- Take a dance class.
- Try Pilates.
- Join a team sport.
- Try hula hooping – it’s fun for any age and can be done while you enjoy your favorite Netflix series.
Explore Cleaner Eating
Expanding new food choices can be exciting. Opening your mind and mouth to new foods and flavors can help liven up otherwise boring diets. Seasonings like ginger, turmeric, and sriracha are low in carbs and sugar, yet add a healthy and tasty flare!
Remember the key to successfully achieving your fitness goal is to make small strides. Try starting your day with a fruit smoothie, or by adding a side salad with lunch then move on to adding vegetables with dinner, and enjoy fruit or raw veggies as a snack in between meals. Dried, canned, and frozen options count too!
Increasing your water intake will boost your metabolism and energy levels, improve your skin, and help with concentration. You can easily start by drinking one small bottle of plain or mineral water each day. If you’re exercising more often, you may need to increase this amount to replenish what you sweat out to stay hydrated.
Keep Up the Momentum
One of the challenges that comes with committing to a New Year’s fitness resolution is keeping up the momentum. In the beginning, we’re filled with so much excitement that it’s easy to stay motivated. But as time passes, the excitement wears off and the drive to keep going fizzles out.
Start a Journal
Journaling your progress can help make your workouts more intentional, keep you motivated, and provide you with helpful information about your development. You can make logs for workout routines, foods you ate, the amount of water you drank, and even note how you’re feeling before or after a session. Tracking your work will show new ways of repeating success, building on it, and removing the things that aren’t working well. There are also helpful apps you can use to digitally track your journey like MyFitnessPal, Sworkit, and Google Fit.
Get an Accountability Partner
Having an accountability partner that you can share your goals with, like a trusted friend or loved one will keep you on the hook. They’re your cheerleader, encouraging you to keep going when you feel like giving up, and can even be your workout buddy. If you know someone is rooting for you or on the journey with you, you may be less likely to give up.
Be Kind to Yourself
Embarking on a fitness journey and sticking to it isn’t easy. You’re going to experience bumps and setbacks along the way but remember, no one is perfect, and no one is expecting you to be.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is good for your mind, body, and soul. People who engage in mindfulness practices experience less stress and increased cardiovascular health. Activities such as yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi promote improved breathing and boost your heart rate. Mindfulness can also be attributed to stimulating positive health behaviors because it reinforces your desire to make better lifestyle choices.
As you’re embarking on your new fitness journey, remember that no one is expecting you to be perfect at it. It’s okay to give yourself grace and permission to take breaks along the way. Maybe this looks like taking a day off to curl up with a good book and relax, or tell yourself “Good Job” after a challenging session. Allow yourself time to recover physically and mentally to not push yourself beyond your limits. You’ve got this!
