If you're like most people this time of year, you're probably thinking about what you'd like to do better next year and among those things I'd be willing to bet "exercise" is on your list. Quite possibly you might even be hoping to drop some weight. Maybe even doing something more adventurous like a sprint triathlon or a mud run type of race, a 5k or maybe even a marathon! But you have to start somewhere and usually that initiates the thoughts of joining a gym. Here are five great tips on how to set your fitness goals, stick with them, and most importantly ACHIEVE THEM!
Train with A Friend or Join a Gym Together
Working out with a friend or joining a gym with a buddy are great places to start. If you’re just pushing yourself it’s easy to give up and give in. But if you have a friend or friends, especially in a class or doing something that’s fun (yoga, kettlebells, bootcamp, etc.), makes working out much less of a ‘chore’.
Also, if you’re battling weight it’s important to have other things that give you fun in your life. If you’re just sitting at home you might be tempted to eat, but if you’re out doing fun things with friends you’re not only burning calories – you’re also fighting the lonely boredom of being at home! Hiking and joining a Meetup that does outdoor activities is a great way to not only get some great exercise, but also to meet some people who like the same things you do!
Mini-Goal and Reward
Set definite (mini-)goals! Start with easily attainable goals. Like loosing 4 pounds of fat in 1 month, or adding 1 to 2 pounds of muscle in a month. These goals are doable and, just as importantly, trackable!
Also, give yourself a reward that doesn’t conflict with your goal! So for losing weight, don’t go on a binge if you make some progress – even a small one. Buy yourself some sexy clothing that you can show off to your friends!
Rather than one big goal, break it down into smaller ones. Losing 40 pounds is a LOT of fat to get rid of – but losing 4 pounds a month is much easier, psychologically as well as physically. Just do it ten times, and you’ll steadily make the progress you want to.
A Good Start
How you start is so important. Despite any new years resolution, no matter how big or how small, it’s really dispiriting to injure yourself right off the starting blocks. So invest the time and, if necessary, money to get a good start. Hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions, starting off with a safe and effective beginner weight training program, or joining a class with a knowledgeable instructor are all great ways to start out.
And if you’re really committed, these expenses aren’t really expenses. They’re valuable investments in your health and life, and worth the extra pennies at the beginning of the year to get it right for the next 12 months.
Define ‘In Shape’
What’s your big goal? Your full New Year's resolution? Lose 40 or 50 pounds? Be able to do kickboxing for an hour? Run a marathon? Whatever it is, define it – and go for it! Have a role model who inspires you? Put a picture of them on your bathroom mirror and look at it every day. That's your inspiration to stay focused and keep working for your goal.
Track Yourself, and Do NOT Look For Fast Progress
This is perhaps the most important aspect of achieving a New Year's resolution. Because you have a year to achieve it, the tendency is to choose a big goal… And that’s great!
Just be sure that you don’t get discouraged after a few weeks or a month. Big goals take time to achieve, and usually more than you think; you don’t usually take into account all the little stumbles that inevitably happen along the way.
Don’t get discouraged if you take longer to put on muscle or lose fat than you think you will. In the beginning you might have a few false starts, but you only fail when you give up. Keep working at it, and you will succeed!!
