If you’re hoping to make 2016 your year of renewed health and fitness, here are a few things you can do to make it happen.
Here we are at the beginning of 2016, and you know what that means – new goals, big plans, and let’s face it, the definite possibility that those plans or goals won’t come to fruition. You know what I’m talking about – yet another round of New Year’s resolutions.
Resolving to accomplish something is a tricky thing. You go into it with the excited mindset that you’re going to do something to improve yourself. Your motivation is rearing to go, the new year starts, you take a few steps down the path toward success, and then…
Suddenly your resolution is forgotten. Whether it pertains to your career or your relationships or whatever else, life seems to swallow your plans up, and you find them pushed to the rear of your priorities.
This can be especially true with resolutions pertaining to health and fitness, as accomplishing them often requires that you break deeply ingrained habits – not to mention the fact that the lack of immediate results can seem disheartening.
But the reward is worth the struggle. So if you’re hoping to make 2016 your year of renewed health and fitness, here are a few things you can do to make it happen.
Discover what’s most important to you
One problem that many people encounter when they try to improve their health involves biting off more than they can chew. They want to lose weight, pack on muscle, and improve their stamina, and they want to do it all at once and they want to do it now. As a result, they end up bouncing back and forth from one workout routine or diet to the next until they give it up altogether.
Here’s the solution – pick one specific goal and stick to it.
Want to shed 20 pounds? Want to bench 200? Want to be able to run for 10 miles nonstop? These are all great goals, so choose one and don’t stop until you achieve it. Then move onto the next.
Not only will this mindset place you on a clear, defined path, but it will support the other side goals. Building muscle will help you burn fat, and your cardio will help support your muscle gains.
The bottom line – pick a target, and go for it.
Always think long term
If I had to guess, I would say that one of the main reasons people give up on their fitness resolution involves the fact that they don’t see immediate results. But that’s not how fitness (or life, for that matter) works. It takes time, and it takes effort.
Realize that you’re not going to hit your target within a week, or a month, or maybe even six. It’s a resolution for the entire year, not just the beginning of it. So plan on making it an endeavour that will take 365 days, no less.
Make it a priority
One simple cause of failure involves not making time for your resolution. You say you’re going to work out or start going to the grocery store instead of eating on-the-go junk all the time, but you just can’t seem to find the time.
I don’t care how busy you think you are – you have time, you’re just not managing it properly. Many of the busiest, most successful people in the world are also fitness addicts. If they can fit it in, so can you.
Cut out other activities if you have to. What’s more important to you, hitting your fitness goal, or watching that extra episode of TV each night?
If you’re worried about eating up all your time getting to and from the gym, bring the gym home. Buy a few weights and a treadmill, elliptical, or even just a jump rope, and fit in a workout here and there between activities.
Get motivated
Sometimes all it takes to stick to your goal is someone to suffer with you and cheer you on.
Get a resolution buddy, and communicate regularly about your progress. Shame each other into sticking to it, if need be. There are also a lot of good apps and online communities for fitness motivation.
That’s really all there is to it – pick a specific goal, think long term, prioritize your resolution, and stay motivated.
And the thing about achieving goals is that it’s somewhat addictive. Will yourself to stick to your resolution, and you’ll find yourself more excited to make – and stick to – a new one next year.
