The 1st of January is the perfect time to make positive changes in your life. Are you planning to start running, eating healthy, or going to the gym? These are the most popular New Year’s resolutions, but... they often fail. How do you stick to them and turn your plans into action? Here are some tips.
New Year’s resolutions – do they make sense? When it comes to lifestyle, they definitely do
The end of the year is a good time to take stock, and the start of a new year is an opportunity to start from scratch. On the 1st of January, the vast majority of us feel really motivated, but the enthusiasm quickly fades, and we feel like giving up after just two weeks. It is no coincidence that “New Year, New Me” has become a leitmotif of memes and a cause for laughter. This raises the question of whether New Year’s resolutions make sense. When it comes to choosing a healthier lifestyle, they definitely do. You just have to approach them in the right way.
Most popular New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight and to get in the best shape of your life
“Buy a gym membership,” “start exercising,” “take up running,” and “lose 30 pounds” are probably the most popular New Year’s resolutions of many of us. There are often specific goals behind them. For example, we might want to get in shape for the holidays or have a slim figure for a dream wedding. The goals may motivate us to start exercising, but we often quit after just a few workouts. There is even a name for it.
The Quitter’s Day is held on the second Friday in January. Research has shown that this is when people give up on their New Year’s resolutions made at the beginning of January. However, the “quit syndrome” can be avoided. And since we talk about choosing a healthier lifestyle, it is definitely worth it.
Good New Year’s resolutions – how do you write down your resolutions to achieve your goals?
How do you formulate your New Year’s resolutions to make them easier to achieve? First and foremost, look before you leap and make sure that your plans are followed by action. Buying a gym membership does not mean that you will visit the gym regularly. For a start, set one day a week for training and stick to it.
Secondly, New Year’s resolutions should be realistic. It may be hard for you to lose 30 pounds. By contrast, losing two pounds in a month will not only be easier to do, but also healthier.
If your New Year’s resolution is to exercise regularly, choose an activity that you will enjoy doing. Remember that exercising every day means doing something good for yourself. When you go to the gym or go for a run, think of it as a pleasure and not punishment. It will be easier for you to stick to your resolutions if you treat sport as a moment for yourself and not just as a means to an end. You are not keen on running? Do not try to convince yourself that you can do it. Try to find an alternative and make sure that you enjoy it. How about swimming or CrossFit? You have many options.
How do you achieve your New Year’s resolutions? The first step is the key
How do you start exercising at the start of a new year? First, you should prepare for it. If you have had a sedentary lifestyle, start with taking small steps. Are you going to start running? Choose a short distance for your first session. One or two kilometres, or even a brisk walk, is enough to prepare your muscles for more intense work.
You want to go to the gym? Get comfortable sports clothes that you feel confident in and start with the simplest exercises. It is also a good idea to consult a personal trainer to learn the basics and correct bad posture. Correct exercise technique has a huge impact on efficiency and, above all, safety.
When you make New Year’s resolutions, do not set goals that are too hard to achieve. Having a plan is the key to success. You can start with one 30-minute workout a week and only then increase the intensity, frequency, and duration. This way, you will not get discouraged so easily.
Finally, fit your regular activity into your lifestyle and schedule. This should also help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions. If you are not an early bird, do not assume you will start your day with the gym, or you will quit very soon. Schedule your workouts at a time that is most convenient to you and stick to your schedule.
Tip: Find it hard to motivate yourself to workout because you have lots of other things to do? Make the most of your time. For example, you can listen to a podcast or an audiobook while you run. And if you feel you need to de-stress, boxing or CrossFit might be a good idea.
Are you going to exercise? Find out how to stick to your resolution
Research on New Year’s resolutions shows that we are fine with the first few workouts. However, we often lose our enthusiasm after just two weeks of regular exercise. Motivation may not be enough. Therefore, you should develop regularity and self-discipline from the start. For this, you can use methods that can be put into practice right away.
1️⃣ Set yourself a goal and try your best to achieve it.
You may set a particular goal weight, seek to have your dream figure, or strive to improve your overall fitness. If you know you lack patience, break down your goals into chunks, e.g. decide to lose 2 pounds in a month and not 30 pounds in a year.
2️⃣ Integrate physical activity into your lifestyle.
While looking better or improving your fitness are good New Year’s goals, your priority should be to choose a healthier lifestyle. Drinking more water, taking the stairs instead of the lift, or 5 minutes of morning gymnastics are simple activities that can make a big difference. Remember to treat your training as a regular part of a healthy daily routine.
3️⃣ Accept the ups and downs.
Exercising regularly at the gym or running every day does not mean that you cannot order a pizza in an exceptional situation or a cake to have a coffee with your friend. Firstly, keep a balance. Secondly, be sure that your nutritional sins do not become a daily routine. Thirdly, do not give up exercising just because you ate something you consider bad. Working on your figure is often like going two steps forward and one step back. Remember to accept the ups and downs of the process.
4️⃣ Reward yourself for small successes.
In our New Year’s resolutions regarding exercise or diet, we often set high expectations for ourselves and are likely to quit because the effects are not visible. We often wish to see the results after just two weeks of going to the gym. Unfortunately, it will take much longer, and it is worth preparing for it properly. How? Since you know that the first effects of exercise are visible after about two months of regular activity, try to reward yourself for minor achievements. Have you managed to eat healthy and have two workouts a week? Do something nice at the weekend or buy workout leggings you have had your eye on for a while. Rewarding for action will help you stick to your resolutions more than waiting impatiently for weight loss.
Finally, there is a tried and tested thing you should do if you lose motivation. When you feel the urge to give up, just get dressed and go out for a run or hit the gym. Do not make excuses. It is said that no one has ever regretted a workout and if you decide to cancel one of them, it will be easier for you to cancel the next one. Fortunately, post-workout endorphins can be addictive. If you create the right conditions for yourself and choose a sport you love, your New Year’s resolutions will be easy to keep.
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