TIPS TO HELP KEEP YOUR FITNESS NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

THIS IS YOUR YEAR!

I love a new year. It almost seems like we can start all over, finally become that wonderful, productive, healthy, happy person we've always wanted to be. The trouble is, the enthusiasm to make changes, especially with exercise and diet, tends to fade once we realize we can't change everything overnight. Want to make this year different? Here are some tips to help you.

1. Choose an obtainable goal.

Resolving to look like a super model is not realistic for the majority of us, but promising to include daily physical activity in our lives is very possible.

2. Avoid choosing a resolution that you’ve been unsuccessful at achieving year after year.

This will only set you up for failure, frustration and disappointment. If you are still tempted to make a promise that you’ve made before, then try altering it. For example, instead of stating that you are going to lose 30 pounds, try promising to eat healthier and increase your weekly exercise.

3. Create a game plan.

At the beginning of January, write a comprehensive plan. All successful businesses start with a business plan that describes their mission and specifics on how they will achieve it. Write your own personal plan and you’ll be more likely to succeed as well.

4. Break it down and make it less intimidating.

Rather than one BIG end goal, dissect it into smaller pieces. Set several smaller goals to achieve throughout the year that will help you to reach the ultimate goal. Then even if you aren’t able to reach your final goal, you will have many smaller, but still significant, achievements along the way.

For example, if your goal is to complete a 10K race, your smaller goals could be running a 5K in less than 30 minutes, adding upper and lower body strength training to increase your muscular endurance, and running 2 miles with a personal best completion time.

5. Ask friends and family members to help you so you have someone to be accountable to.

Just be sure to set limits so that this doesn’t backfire and become more irritating than helpful. For example, if you resolve to be more positive ask them to gently remind you when you start talking negatively.

5. Reward yourself with each milestone.

If you’ve stuck with your resolution for 2 months, treat yourself to something special. But, be careful of your reward type. If you’ve lost 5 pounds, don’t give yourself a piece of cake as an award. Instead, treat yourself to a something non-food related, like a professional massage.

6.Don’t go it alone!

Get professional assistance. Everyone needs help and sometimes a friend just isn’t enough. Sometimes you need the help of a trained professional. Don’t feel that seeking help is a way of copping out. Especially when it comes to fitness, research studies have shown that assistance from a fitness professional greatly improves peoples success rate.

7. Limit your number of promises.

You’ll spread yourself too thin trying to make multiple changes in your life. This will just lead to failure of all of the resolutions.