New Year’s can be exciting with its celebrations and resolutions that you think will make positive changes in your life. However, most people don’t actually maintain their new year’s resolutions throughout the year, and it’s estimated that over 40% give up by the end of January (1). This year, you are not going to be just another part of that statistic. This year, you have the power to stick to your resolution. In fact, you’ve always had the power, but this year is different because you will actually succeed. Keep reading to discover how!
Step 1: Forget About Fitness Goals
After reading the title of this section, you might be thinking “How can I achieve my goals if I don’t have them?!” I’m not suggesting that you don’t have goals, I’m suggesting that they don’t become your focus. It’s more important to build a habit than focus on the results you want to achieve.
According to James Clear, author of the best-selling book Atomic Habits, “If you can optimize for the starting line, make it as easy as possible to get started and get your reps in, often the outcomes just come as a natural result . . . The goal is not to run a marathon, it’s to become a runner” (2). How many times have you heard it said that life is about the journey, not the destination? The same is true with resolutions. Your game-plan is more important than the final result. By making each time you perform your new habit into the goal, you succeed more frequently, experience a greater feeling of accomplishment, and are more likely to be motivated to stick with it.
Step 2: Pick A Fitness Habit, Not A Fitness Goal
When you pick your resolution for the new year, it’s important to be real and honest with yourself. If you’re a late sleeper, it’ll be hard to do a 180 and start waking up earlier and working out in the morning. Choose a simple, actionable habit that aligns with your overall fitness aspirations. Instead of committing to losing a specific amount of weight or running a marathon, opt for something more manageable and concrete, like incorporating a daily 20-minute walk or doing a quick bodyweight workout every day.
Research indicates that enjoying exercise is linked to how much people exercise (3). When it comes to choosing your fitness habit, make sure that it is something you enjoy. If you’re interested in cardio fitness but passionately hate running, don’t create the fitness resolution of becoming a runner. You might be more of a swimmer, dancer, or even kickboxer – these forms of exercise may be more enjoyable and encourage you to consider exercising more. If you want to build muscle but weightlifting isn’t your thing, consider calisthenics, yoga, swimming, or rock climbing.
What kind of fitness speaks to you?
Step 3: Remove Obstacles
Everyone faces different obstacles when it comes to confronting their fitness resolution. Some people may feel like their health issues are holding them back. For example, some individuals feel joint pain that makes getting active more difficult. Others don’t sleep well at night or experience low energy. Whatever the obstacle, it is important to address it.
This is where Approved Science® comes into the picture. Supplements can help to decrease some of the obstacles that make exercising unappealing. Jointprin™ was created to support joint health for improved mobility and decreased discomfort in the joints. Sleepsyl™ is formulated to assist individuals with sleep problems to achieve longer and higher quality sleep, and Energysyl™ aims to help individuals feel more energy and less fatigue. These are only a few of the Approved Science® supplements that may be able to help. Just make sure to always consult with a qualified medical professional before taking any supplements.
You can proceed to the next step even if you’re still working on overcoming obstacles – it takes time to feel the effects of supplements.
What’s holding you back?
Step 4: Show Up
Now that you have the type of fitness you want to pursue, it’s time to pursue it. Sometimes you will want to exercise and sometimes you won’t. Show up anyways. Unroll the yoga mat, step outside, or walk into the gym, and give it your best.
Sometimes the expectation of not being able to perform as well as you have in the past will make you hesitant to exercise. Do not let expectations stop you. Remind yourself that your best today might not be the same “best” that you were capable of yesterday. That’s okay. Some days will be better than others, but the most important thing is consistency. Slow and steady wins the race. Sticking with your fitness resolution this year isn’t about quickly reaching some fitness goal, it’s about building a habit.
Step 5: Find A Cheerleader
Your cheerleader is (probably) not going to be a literal cheerleader. They are the person to whom you confide your fitness resolution to and who keeps you accountable. This person is someone who genuinely wants you to succeed and will celebrate your success with you. Whether it’s a relative, coach, friend, or exercise buddy, it’s important to have someone that holds you accountable about your fitness resolution.
Accountability is believed to increase the chances of success (4). Making a checklist or crossing off days on a calendar can hold you accountable to yourself, but for many people that isn’t enough. It can be easy to make excuses for yourself and justify why you failed to show up for your fitness routine. However, these excuses can sound less convincing when you have to say them aloud to someone else. Plus, a cheerleading accountability buddy can increase your feelings of accomplishment by celebrating your progress and thereby keep you motivated.
Who can be your accountability cheerleader?
Step 6: Invest In Additional Support (Optional)
If you’re trying to take your fitness routine to the next level, a supplement may be able to help. Some supplements, like BCAA powder, are designed to help you increase your intake of certain proteins or amino acids in order to maximize your muscle gains, while others, such as Turmeric, support the recovery process.
Check out our ultimate exercise supplement guide to learn more!
Step 7: Be Inspired By Others
Don’t convince yourself that you are too old or too out of shape to start a fitness routine and improve your health. Whenever you feel like you’re lacking motivation, remember these individuals who started late and changed their lives. If they can do it, so can you.
Nancy Cox – The Woman Who Built The Right Fitness Habit
At 67, Nancy Cox, who was already doing fitness classes took up ice skating, and experienced weight loss effects that the typical fitness classes hadn’t accomplished (5). She said that the fitness classes had always felt like work but that she finds skating fun. This shows how important it is to choose a fitness routine that you truly enjoy.
Roy Englert – The Man Who Showed Up Consistently
At 60, Roy Englert started with laps around his basement and by the age of 96 set the world record for the fastest 5K race in the 95-99 age group (5,6). He admits to being slow, but he is slow and steady. Roy Englert teaches that the most important step to making progress is showing up consistently.
Joan MacDonald – The Woman With A Cheerleader
At age 70, Joan MacDonald was overweight, suffering from arthritis, and could barely walk up the stairs – but then she started working out. With her daughter as her coach and cheerleader, by the age of 74 Joan MacDonald had lost 70 pounds, became more outgoing than she ever had been before, and is now considered an Instagram influencer (7). Her story shows how important it is to have a cheerleader in addition to commitment.
Greta Plowman – The Woman Who Showed Age Doesn’t Matter
At 99, Greta Plowman went to watch her daughter in the rock climbing gym when she realized there was no reason she couldn’t also participate (8). She was 99 years old when she did her first rock climb – so don’t let age hold you back.
Who is your inspiration?
Conclusion: This Is The Year You Accomplish Your Fitness Resolution
This is the year that you’re going to build a fitness habit and at the end of the year, you’ll be proud of how far you’ve come. By choosing a realistic resolution, removing the obstacles that are holding you back, showing up consistently, being accountable to a cheerleader, and finding inspiration in others, you can crush your fitness goals.
Check out our ultimate exercise supplement guide!