Make Your New Year’s Fitness Plan Work
If you have at some stage in your life, pledged your allegiance to regular visits to the gym starting January 1st, you’re not alone. In fact, over forty-eight percent of us vow to get back in shape and shed those extra holiday pounds in the new year.
yellow adhesive note papers with new years resolutions hanging on the rope
A new year’s fitness plan shouldn’t be about what you can achieve in January, but rather something you can stick with next week, next month and for years to come. A program that you can consistently follow all year round, will yield better long-term results than training every day for a few months and giving up.
The number one factor to consider when embarking on a fitness journey is consistency. Consistency is arguably the most important component when working to accomplish goals, in or out of the gym. Without consistency, your workout program will be unorganized, the body will have a harder time adapting and forming new habits will be more challenging.
So, why do so many people throw in the towel? One of the biggest reasons why people give up is because staying healthy and fit takes a lot of hard work! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! Many of us have a yo-yo relationship with food and our fitness programs. When workouts are too intense and nutritional plans are too restrictive, we get overwhelmed and just quit.
Here are a few tried and true tips that will help make your new year’s plan a success.
Set Yourself Up for Success
Set yourself up for success with tangible goals. With each goal that is reached, you will feel like you’ve accomplished something! Make sure you incorporate a measurable performance aspect such as being able to run faster, lift heavier or increase your flexibility. Something quantifiable should be your goal as it will give you a sense of achievement.
Find A Balance You Can Stick With
Recognize what your non-negotiables are. That could be a Sunday dinner with the family, weekly after-work cocktails or a Friday night takeout. Then schedule in the time you can realistically commit to exercise and when that may be. Your workout regimen should be complementary to how you live your life, rather than the other way around, so you will stick with it.
Find a Gym
This is a great time of year to find a gym! Make sure it’s close to home or where you work so that it will be convenient for you to make it there. Stay on a schedule like you would with anything else that is of the utmost importance in your life and don’t allow yourself to get distracted along the way. Designate an hour, at least four to five days a week for your workout. If you can’t make it in on a scheduled day, you need to make sure you get there another day.
Look Forward to Your Workout
Find a means of exercise that you genuinely enjoy. If you like dancing, look into dance-based workouts like Zumba. If you like to exercise in the water, see if your gym offers aqua classes. If you need companionship, find a workout buddy. Whatever gets you off the couch and moving, do it! When you like what you are doing, you are more likely to stick with it.
The Ideal Workout Schedule
The ideal workout looks different for everyone, but a balanced health and fitness regimen will most definitely get you well on your way to being in better shape. Here is a well-balanced and consistent plan to help you get started:
• Monday: Full body resistance workout
• Tuesday: Low-intensity cardio
• Wednesday: Full body resistance workout
• Thursday: Low-intensity cardio
• Friday: Choice of full body resistance workout or high-intensity cardio (not both)
Saturday: Option of active recovery or mobility work (slow, movement-based activities such as yoga, Pilates or tai chi, that are also shown to have a positive impact on emotional wellbeing)
• Sunday: Rest
Do Something Instead of Nothing
Remember that something is always better than nothing. If you can only get to the gym for half an hour, is it worth it? You bet it is. You can get a lot done in a half hour and it will help keep you in the habit of staying active.
Take it One Day at a Time
Dropping twenty-five pounds is a great long-term goal, but don’t bite off more than you can chew! Your fitness is mission possible when you take it one day at a time! Make some basic alterations to your lifestyle and stick to them. Focus on losing one or two pounds a week by changing what you eat,
when you eat and even where you eat it. Once you start to see results, it will get easier to stay on track.
In Conclusion:
This is the time of year when we all could use a little help! If you construct a workout regimen that you are able to keep up with in “real” life, you will see genuine and sustainable results. How do we do that? We work on building healthy habits into our everyday lives, because a consistent fitness routine is an effective one.
Take the time to acknowledge all the things you’ve accomplished this year. Give yourself a pat on the back for any and all signs of progress, no matter how small. Stay committed to doing the best you can, find things that keep you motivated and remember “why” this is so important to you! You matter and your health should too. Happy New Year and good luck to you.
Progress Personified
I have been a personal trainer for over eighteen years and I absolutely love what I do. I honestly feel that I have one of the best jobs out there! The most rewarding part of my profession is helping one of my clients succeed at reaching their personal fitness goals. Making a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile. I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association.
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