One week into the new year… how are those New Year’s resolutions holding up?
Just because you’ve fallen off doesn’t mean you have to wait another year to hop back on that fitness goal. Turning fitness into a second-nature habit is HARD, but we’ve got some tips that’ll make the transition smoother.
1. Alter your Environment: We’ve all tried it before, the “convenient” at-home workout. This workout usually consists of 2 minutes of effort, followed by the more important task of doing the dishes. No matter how neat, clean, and orderly our homes are, they are a reminder of all the other little things we could be doing instead of a workout. If you truly want to commit to fitness, make it an important enough task to leave the house and put the other stressors of life to the side. You might discover that fitness can act as a stress relief or motivation for when you come back to home to the dishes.
2. Commit to a schedule: It is so easy to put your fitness on the back burner when life is hectic. When you commit to a schedule, and actually write it down, this tells your brain that fitness is just as important as that meeting later or your kid’s baseball practice. You wouldn’t miss a doctor’s appointment in the calendar, would you? Treat your fitness just the same.
3. Set realistic goals: Going from 0 days of fitness a week to running a marathon in a month is quite a leap. Instead of overwhelming our bodies with the sudden change, start gradual with your expectations. Instead of jumping straight into 7 days of fitness a week, start with three. Once three becomes easy, move to four or five sessions a week. Once you can run a mile, move on to two. Realistic goals also give us more opportunities to feel accomplished and proud of the goals we’ve achieved, which in turn keeps us motivated.
4. Join a group of other like-minded people: Everything becomes easier the minute you realize you’re not alone. Joining a group of others who share your goal in fitness could be the extra push of support that keeps you motivated and coming back.
5. Don’t let one “missed workout” turn into another: The goal is to never miss twice. Hold yourself to your goals, and make sure to make that next training session. The hard part is starting again, and if you make attending your training sessions a habit, you’ll never have to.
It takes 21 days to turn any activity into a habit, then it takes 90 days to make a habit a lifestyle change. We can push through the next three weeks instilling the discipline, the journey should become easier and more enjoyable.
The hardest part is deciding to commit! We’ve got you from here.
See you in the gym.