Beyond New Year's: Staying Fit and Active all Year Long
Another new year, another wave of well-intentioned yet doomed new year’s resolutions. It’s easy to declare all the improvements you have planned for yourself when you’re going into a new year - but the end of the year always shows who stuck to their plan and who forgot they even made a resolution. Sticking to your resolution until you get the results is a hard thing to do, especially if it has to do with fitness goals - but there are ways to make it more doable for yourself. Here are a few hacks to seeing your fitness goals through to the end of 2019 and beyond.
Make Specific and Manageable Goals 🏁
If you made a resolution to shed 60 pounds in the first 2 months of 2019, you’ve already set yourself up for failure. The way to really seeing a difference on the scale is to make a weight loss goal that is more manageable. Start with a temporary goal of 10 pounds and then break that up into even smaller micro benchmarks - like losing ½ a pound or a pound each week until you hit the first 10.
If it’s your goal to work out more, don’t say you’re going to work out 7 days a week without a break, especially if you’re coming from a lifestyle of not working out at all. Start with 3-4 days. Then, when you’ve been consistent with that, add another day or two.
Keep it Exciting 💥
Hate treadmills but love dancing? Switch it out for a Zumba class or take up a belly dancing class (an amazing ab and stomach workout that shrinks your waist.) Did Zumba and now it’s getting dull? Try a barre method class, bootcamp, yoga or a boxing class. Toning and Cardio has many different forms and the best way to keep yourself stimulated and excited about working out is to change it up. Your mind and your muscles get tired of the same old same old after a while. Make sure to surprise your body with a new workout every so often so you don’t get bored and abandon it altogether.
Find Your Tribe 👯
Self discipline is one of the hardest things to stick to, especially if you’re by yourself. But when you team up with other people going for the same finish lines as you, you’ll have others to hold you accountable and you’ll find yourself wanting to motivate your peers by doing your best and sticking to the plan! Besides, running 3 miles on the treadmill is always easier with a little conversation from your gym buddy - or with a little healhty competition to see who clears the 3 mile marker first! Whether it’s one gym buddy or a group, making a fitness routine a new social event will help make working out more fun, therefore easier to solidify as a lifestyle and not just a passing fad.
Make Some Fire Playlists🔥
Not much to explain here...if your playlists are fire, your workouts will be, too!
Keep a Fire Workout Wardrobe 💪
When you look good, you feel good! That doesn’t just apply to your body but also what you wear! If you shop for a new outfit, what’s the first thing you want to do? Rock it, of course! So instead of buying a new dress for brunch or a new clubbing outfit, invest in refreshing your gym wardrobe - like funky printed workout leggings and a matching printed sports bra - or a cute gym crop top + gym shorts. If you’ve got a few new pieces to wear to the gym, you’ll think twice about skipping your next gym sesh and make sure you get there, even if only just to get your money’s worth with the new athleisure outfit.
Work Fitness Into your Schedule 🕒
If you’ve got a ton going on, like running a business or working hard for a company, going to school, dealing with kids, a marriage, etc. - whatever it is - getting up early to knock out that workout is a great way to make sure it gets done and to not have it conflict with anything else you have going on throughout your day. It will also help energize you and help your brain function better. However, if you’re not a morning person, like the type that hears their alarm go off and hits the snooze button a million times, you’re probably going to throw that workout right out the window each morning when you feel those sheets sticking to you and that pillow calling your name. If a morning workout is not sustainable, instead, fit it into break time or just an evening, after work or after school activity. You know your tendencies and your schedule best, so make that workout work for you.
Reward Your Victories 🏆
It’s been a month and you’ve consistently cut out sodas and fast food, gone to the gym those 4-5 times a week without compromising, and you’ve hit your micro weight loss goals or target inches - that’s a pretty darn good reason to celebrate, wouldn’t you agree? When you hit your targets, keep yourself motivated with some rewards - just be sure you don’t undo all your hard work. Choose non food related rewards - like a mani/pedi, spa session, or a new outfit - even better, splurge on a new pair of colorful yoga leggings or a cute new athleisure outfit for the gym!
Keep up on these habits and challenge yourself to stay consistent. These are ways not just to meet your goals, but to introduce fitness as a sustainable new lifestyle. Stick to this and watch - before you know it, it’ll be 2020 and you’ll have successfully exceeded your goals and made fitness an effortless new part of your life, permanently!
