As the New Year approaches, it's common to set ambitious fitness goals, whether it's losing weight, building muscle, or running a marathon. However, staying on track with these goals can be challenging.

Here are some tips for sticking to your New Year’s fitness resolutions and making your fitness goals a reality!

 

1. Create Daily Habits

While it’s tempting to focus on your big end goal, like shedding pounds or completing a race, the real progress comes from the small daily habits you build along the way.

Instead of concentrating solely on the finish line, break down your resolution into bite-sized, manageable tasks. For example, if you’re looking to lose weight, start every day with a healthy nutritious breakfast.

 

2. Write it Out

Writing down your goals and posting them somewhere you’ll see them daily is a powerful way to keep them top of mind. Seeing your goal every day serves as a visual reminder and motivation to stick with it.

Additionally, you should make your goals specific and measurable—SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) are especially effective. For instance, instead of writing, “I want to get in shape,” try “I will go to the gym three times a week for 30 minutes.” This leaves no room for you to avoid or work around what you want to do.

 

3. Start Small

When it comes to setting goals at the beginning of the year, it’s easy to be excited and accidentally overbook yourself. However, creating a lot of hefty fitness goals can quickly become overwhelming, even for the most experienced gym-goer.

Rather than creating a bunch of large goals at the beginning of the year, start small. Focus on one or two goals at a time and have them be things that you can build on top of. For example, maybe you want to run a marathon by the end of the year. Rather than hopping on the track and trying to run 26 miles, set a goal of being able to comfortably run a mile without stopping or running a 5k.

Once you’ve accomplished your smaller goals, you can continue building towards the true end goal you’d like to see without feeling overwhelmed.

 

4. Find an Accountability Partner

Having someone by your side can make all the difference in staying committed to your fitness journey!

An accountability partner can be a friend, family member, or even a personal trainer. Participating in group fitness classes is also a great way to build accountability in your workouts.

The key is to find someone who will encourage you, hold you accountable, and celebrate your successes along the way. Checking in with someone regularly can keep you motivated and on track, especially when motivation wanes.

 

5. Celebrate Small Wins

Don’t wait until you reach your final goal to celebrate—acknowledge and celebrate the small victories along the way.

Whether it's completing a challenging workout, sticking to your meal plan for a week, or hitting a new personal best at the gym, each accomplishment deserves recognition. Celebrating these milestones will give you a sense of progress and help you stay motivated for the long haul.

 

6. Avoid Resolutions You’ve Tried in the Past

It can be tempting to retry a resolution you’ve failed at in previous years, but there’s a reason it didn’t work back then. Repeating the same goals without a fresh approach can lead to frustration and burnout. Instead, assess why those resolutions didn’t work before and either create new goals or adjust your old ones to be more achievable.

 

7. Create a Solid Foundation

Your fitness resolution isn’t just about workouts—it’s about creating a healthy foundation for your body!

Your fitness goals involve different facets of your body on top of the physical aspect you’re challenging—like adequate sleep and eating healthy. Make sure you're eating nutritious meals that fuel your workouts and getting enough sleep to allow your body to recover. Without proper nutrition, hydration, and rest, even the best fitness plan can fail.

 

8. Understand Your Goals Will Take Time

Last but not least, remember that your fitness goals won’t happen overnight. It’s important to be patient with yourself and recognize that progress takes time. Setbacks are normal, but they don’t define your journey. As long as you stay consistent with your habits, you’ll see improvement over time.

 

By focusing on these tips for sticking to your New Year’s fitness resolutions, you’ll set yourself up for success and turn your goals into long-term lifestyle changes!

 

 

The Lafayette Family YMCA is a community dedicated to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit our website here.