How to stick to your new years resolution

With 2019 in full swing, most of us are adjusting to our New Year’s resolutions. So, did you decide to stop smoking? Have you cut out alcohol? Is chocolate just a distant memory?

Whatever resolution you chose, most revolve around living a healthier lifestyle, which is why so many people in January catch the fitness bug and flock to the gym. However, it’s all too easy to become disenchanted as the weeks pass by, leading many people calling it quits early on.

Our team of Fitness First fitness experts have given us their advice on how to stay motivated and committed to your New Year’s resolution.

STICK TO WHAT YOU LOVE

It doesn't matter if you’re a gym newbie or a seasoned veteran, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing you’re going to lose interest quickly. Laura Albertson, from DWFF St Paul’s, states that the key to creating a healthy and lasting fitness habit is “Doing it because you love it. Don’t do something you find boring or you hate, otherwise, you won’t stick to it.”

Chris Middleton, one of our DWFF Brixton experts, agrees with Laura. He says “You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing. If you don’t enjoy the process, you’re going to have a hard time motivating yourself”.

 

SET REACHABLE GOALS

It can be all too tempting when setting a New Year’s resolution to go too big, too soon. It’s understandable to get excited about trying out something new and wanting to dive in headfirst, however, this is the quickest route to quitting.

Louisa Veasey is one of our St Albans fitness experts, who believes that small, realistic goals are the way to go. She believes that “It’s important to make small changes to your daily routine so that you don’t try to change too much at once and get overwhelmed. It should be an enjoyable process!”

Louisa is not alone with this belief, as our Widnes expert, Ryan Morris also sees the benefit of small goals.

“Start small. Creating habits can be hard at first, especially if you’re completely new to it. My first advice would be to use a journal to record what you are doing. Looking back in a few weeks time and seeing how much you’ve improved will be so motivating. We all have to start somewhere, so don’t get upset or frustrated at first if you’re not where you want to be.”

“Understand that with time, you will get better and creating a habit such as logging your workouts will create the opportunity for you to progress each time. This goes for food too. Log what you’re eating, and try to improve it slowly. Replace foods with healthier choices over a period of time. If you do it all at once, you’re more likely to revert to your old ways, ultimately de-motivating you.”

YOU DON’T NEED TO GO IT ALONE

Just because you have your own fitness goals doesn’t mean you have to face your resolution in solidarity. Whether it’s taking part in a group fitness class, getting in touch with a personal trainer or simply tagging along with a buddy, sharing your experience is a great way to stay motivated.

Chris feels the benefit of partnering up in the gym, claiming “Get a good training partner! I’ve lost count of the number of times my training partner has called me out for being lazy or not wanting to do something, and vice versa.”

Ryan believes in teaming up to stay motivated too, especially if you both are aiming for the same target.

“Train with someone who is on the same page as you or has similar goals. You will both be able to motivate and support each other to hit those goals. When you’re tired or feeling low, your training partner will always be there to pull you through when you need it the most.”

If you want a taste of a group fitness class and want to see how it can help you stick to your New Year’s resolution, take a look at our group fitness classes available at your local Fitness First gym.

Or, if you feel like you could benefit from planning out your fitness routine with one of our experienced PTs, view our list of personal trainers to see who can help you stick to your targets.