According to a Harris Interactive Survey, around 73% of participants gave up on their fitness resolutions before they achieved their goal. Unfortunately, this stat presents an issue that is all too common. Many of us jump in with both feet in January, vowing to become healthy and fit at the beginning of the year, but as the months go by, those commitments tend to wane. It’s human nature, but it doesn’t have to be. There are some ways to increase your chances of making lasting change. We have put together a few tips to get you on the right track towards keeping your 2020 fitness resolutions:
Five Tips to Keep Fitness Resolution in 2020
1. Get Specific, Write it Out
There is simply no way to reach a destination if you haven’t specified where you hope to end up. In order to reach a resolution, you must define it, write it down, be specific. It’s also important to set a deadline for reaching your goal in order to stay motivated throughout the year.
2. Get Accountable With a Workout Partner or Friend
It’s easy to stay in bed a bit longer when you are on the only one who cares if you show up to class or make it to the gym in the morning. However, if you have a friend who is meeting you there, or plans to go along with you to whatever activity you’re doing, you are much less likely to skip it.
3. Make Goals More Manageable
Sometimes attempting to make drastic life-altering changes is a bit overwhelming. When this happens, you might be tempted to quit trying altogether. Instead of giving up, make sure your goals or resolutions are manageable. For example, instead of saying, “I want to lose 50 lbs” say, “I want to lose 10 lbs by next month.” This is much more manageable. Once you hit this smaller goal, you make another and keep going. Eventually, you will hit that 50 lb weight loss, but breaking it up will increase your chances of sticking with it, because you will feel accomplished when you meet each small goal and be motivated to keep going.
4. Think Outside the Gym
You don’t have to relegate yourself to a gym workout in order to get fit. Let’s face it, this can get boring. Instead, think outside the gym. Take walks, choose the stairs over an elevator, take a yoga class in your activewear sets, workout at home, try anything and everything. Just don’t needlessly restrict yourself. There is no hard and fast rule that getting fit has to include a gym.
5. Reward Yourself
Finally, in order to keep your fitness goals, reward yourself. This can include going out to eat at a favorite restaurant, buying new animal print leggings, going on a trip, etc. Whatever will motivate you to hang in there and keep going.
The five tips listed above will increase your chance of success when it comes to keeping your 2020 fitness resolutions.