There’s nothing worse than another year of unkept New Year’s resolutions. January is often referred to as the “Black Friday for gyms” because so many of us start the year with big goals and great intentions. But when March rolls around, many of the new faces that were seen around the gym are gone and our motivation to continue is nowhere to be found. Why does this happen? What can be done to make 2016 the year that we stick to our resolution and approach 2017 fitter, healthier and more energized? For those who are serious about making 2016 the year of resolution-keeping, we have a few suggestions. fitness resolution
If your goal is to get fit in 2016, it will be much harder to accomplish if you’re doing it for someone else. Has your wife been harping on you about your increasing waistline? Has your husband told you one too many times that you’re not as thin as you were before the kids? Though these sorts of statements can be motivators to get back into the shape that you desire, they can not be your only driving force. YOU have to decide that you are ready and willing to put in the work required to get the results you want, only then will you find the motivation to push yourself to achieve your 2016 fitness goals.
One of the top tech gifts for Christmas was fitness wearables. If you were among those fortunate enough to receive an accurate chest strap heart rate monitor (like the MZ-3) this holiday season, put it to use! An accurate wearable will be your best friend if you’re trying to get back into shape. The MZ-3 is able to tell you exactly how much workout effort you’re expending both in and outside of the gym. Through the MYZONE app you are able to track your daily, weekly and monthly efforts to see how you did and to challenge yourself to do more in the next month. The built-in zones of exercise intensity, based off of your unique heart rate and personal body metrics, ensure that you are able to see when you may be training too hard, as well as able to tell you when you need to pick up the pace. Investing in MYZONE for the new year will not only help you stay on track toward your goals but will be fun, interactive and challenging--allowing you to stay motivated and engaged in your fitness progress.
Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents would cut up your food so small that you almost didn’t have to chew it? They didn’t want you to choke or to give you more than you could handle, so they would dice even the smallest of foods down into manageable, child-sized bites. Well, when starting into your goal to get fit in 2016, the same principle should be applies. You need to set goals, goals that you know you can swallow. Setting big goals like, “enter into a fitness competition” or “participate in my first tough mudder”, after you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while is not the best way to start the year. If you’re getting back into exercise, set small goals that don’t push you too hard or set you up for discouragement. Start slow, with daily or weekly goals: “walk for 15 minutes each day”, “get to the gym three times this week”, or “do 20 push ups, 20 squats, and 10 minutes of free weights three times a day” are bite-size goals that will get you back into the swings of things slowly and steadily. As the small goals get checked off your list, begin setting monthly and bi-yearly goals to continue your motivation.
Incentivize yourself
Prizes are always a great motivator! Why not give yourself a treat for reaching one of your bite-size fitness goals? If you set a goal to up your gym participation by attending a group spinning class twice a week for one month, write down a prize that you will enjoy once you meet your month long goal. You can treat yourself to a massage, a movie night, a shopping trip, tickets to a local soccer match, or dinner at your favorite restaurant at the end of the month. Whatever prize is necessary to get you to meet you goals, put it in place and you’ll notice you’re more inclined to meet you goals and to set new ones in place afterward.
Find a buddy
Almost everything is more fun when done with a friend or loved one, and the same is true of exercise. For most people, hitting the gym with a friend is always more fun and motivating. If you know of a friend or family member who has a similar resolution for the new year, why not go to the gym together? Challenge one another and keep eachother accountable to meet the realistic goals that you’ve set. MYZONE works great when working out with friends because you can compete, compare MEPs and even set challenges to where the loser has to buy the winner a sushi lunch.
Don’t get burnt out quickly sticking to the same routine each time you go to the gym. Try walking or running on the track, take a couple laps around the pool, sign up for a Zumba class, or switch from gym equipment to free weights--do whatever you need to do to keep the gym fun, varied and fresh. The more options you give yourself the more likely you won’t view the gym as stale and boring--thus leaving an open opportunity for you to throw in the towel.
Know when to get help
If you’re not able to reach your goals on your own, consider enlisting the help of a personal trainer. Personal training is oftentimes more affordable than you may think and asking for help from a professional not only ensures that you will have the accountability you need to meet your goals, but also gives you the added benefit of safety during your training.
Baby steps
If you’ve been out of the gym for a while, start slow. Your New Year’s fitness resolution may go down in flames because of burnout. Setting manageable goals, starting small, pacing yourself and being realistic will help you to build up your endurance and keep you motivated to continue over the long haul. Pushing yourself too hard out of the gate could not only cause you to burn out quickly but could also lead to injury and disillusionment when it comes to visual results.
If your 2016 resolution is to get back into the gym and into a healthier more active lifestyle, put these 8 tips into practice. We would love to be a part of your fitness journey! Share your fitness resolution stories with us using #EffortRewarded or #MYstory and document your progress throughout the year.
