We’ve all watched New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside before we’ve even hit February. No more! This is the year you follow through and make those fitness goal resolutions happen.
To help you out, we have ten tips to set you up for success. These tips will take you from goal-setting to celebration, so get ready for a year of better health and fitness!
1. Commit
Don’t whisper your fitness resolutions down a well. Share them with friends and family. The social pressure will help you stick to your plans. As a bonus, people in the know might even show some much-needed support for your health goals.
Take it a step further with tools like Stickk, a commitment platform where you sign a contract with yourself and designate consequences if you don’t follow through. For additional help and accountability, Stickk lets you lean on your social network for support, publish milestones, and solicit encouragement.
2. Work the Buddy System
Don’t just tell your friends — enlist them. Find a friend or a group with similar goals. Having a pal with you in the trenches can make all the difference.
Pick your buddy wisely: You want a friend who will hold you accountable — not someone who will give up and make you more likely to quit.
3. Set SMART Goals
SMART goals are
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-based
“Exercise more” or “eat healthy” are not SMART goals. Ill-defined goals can backfire; they overwhelm and depress you rather than spur you forward. Instead:
- Identify precisely what success looks like for you.
- Set a timeline for yourself to achieve your goals.
- Chunk larger goals — break larger, long-term objectives into manageable pieces.
4. Track Your Progress
Change is hard. Tracking your progress keeps you accountable to yourself.
Check out our free printable fitness journals here.
You can go old school with a dedicated notebook or try out a goal-setting app. There’s a wide selection of tools, so you can find one suited to your needs.
5. Put Money on the Line
When it comes to fitness and weight loss, financial incentives work. Studies have shown a positive correlation between achieving fitness goals and monetary stakes:
- If you’re looking to lose weight, HealthyWage enables personal bets, team challenges, and corporate wellness programs.
- If you’re looking for a flexible community, try WayBetter. The app sets up dedicated games in which you bet on yourself to complete a certain fitness goal over a couple of weeks. If you succeed, you get your money back plus a little extra — if you don’t, the money is forfeit.
- You can set up a money pool with friends. Every time someone does [x], they get to put money into the pot. At a certain date, you all spend the money together on something fun.
6. Reward Yourself
It doesn’t have to be money. Maybe you want to take a vacation, try a new food, or buy some new workout gear or fitness equipment. Reward yourself each time you accomplish a goal or reach a fitness milestone.
7. Mix It Up
Variety is key to fitness success. In one study, exercise scientists at the University of Florida found that people who switched up their workouts every couple of weeks enjoyed themselves more and had more motivation to stick with fitness plans.
Changing things up also helps you bust through those fitness plateaus by forcing your body to continually adapt to new challenges and activities.
8. Be Realistic and Forgiving
Why are we so often cruel to ourselves but kind and understanding to others? Be reasonable and considerate of your needs at all stages of the fitness goal resolution process.
Set Sensible Goals
Before crafting your set of New Year’s fitness resolutions, take a moment to reflect on aspects of your life such as your:
- Schedule
- Bodyweight — your healthy adult weight, not your all-time thinnest
- Commitments and relationships
- Diet
Stay pragmatic. Don’t idealize fitness. Remember that the workout you do is always better than not working out at all.
Change Your Goals as Necessary
You might need to adjust your goals; you don’t have the benefit of a crystal ball when setting them. If present circumstances make past goals unattainable, don’t wholly abandon the goals — edit them.
Forgive Yourself
Setbacks happen. They only equal failure if you decide that they do. Learn from your past mistakes, but don’t dwell on them. Shake them off, and move forward.
9. Don’t Forget About Nutrition
Health and fitness isn’t just about the exercises you do — it’s also about the food you eat. Make sure your diet supports your active lifestyle.
10. Have Fun
Fitness doesn’t have to be a chore. Getting friends involved or playing a social sport can make exercise more fun. Even if you’re stuck at home alone, you can still have a good time. Take online classes you know you like or that look interesting.
If you’re struggling to get going one day, try something different — and maybe even a little weird.
Doga, Noga, and Beer Yoga
Tired of the same old Vinyasa flow?
- Get your dog involved with doga, yoga designed to help you connect with your dog.
- Take advantage of your home practice and try noga — naked yoga.
- Still not motivated? Combine yoga with your favorite brew in beer yoga, which incorporates opportunities to stretch and sip.
At-Home Circus
Acrobatics conditioning, juggling, hand-balancing, active flexibility… You don’t have to be a carney to enjoy their workout benefits. Stream classes from the Circus Center or the Circus Project.
Hula Hoop Fitness
Dust off that old hoop in your garage. Anna Rita will take you through a hula hoop workout to the tune of drumbeats and hip-hop reggae.
You’ve Got This!
We’ve got your back when it comes to fitness goal resolutions. This is the year you hit all your fitness goals, and we’d love to be part of your journey. Contact us and check out our selection of the hottest fitness equipment. Don’t forget to check back here regularly for more advice and motivation.
