1. Make A To-Do List, Not A Resolution
Surely that’s the same thing right? Not quite. New Year’s Resolutions typically look like “exercise more” or “get in shape”, or else are so specific and huge you’re setting yourself up for failure. You probably aren’t going to run 10k every day for a year, purely because chances are you’re going to be ill one of those days, or hungover, or just forget! And once that streak’s broken it’s easy to just chuck in the towel. So instead of the big overarching goal, this year try setting yourself a to-do list of several smaller goals you can feel proud of checking off. (Tips on setting achievable goals). How about:
- Try 10 different workout classes.
- Beat your friend in 3 squash matches.
- Try every piece of equipment in the gym at least once!
2. Work On Habits Not On End Goals
It can be overwhelming to set a big goal for yourself, and we can often get demotivated before we begin, as we don’t know where to start. Try instead to focus on building a regular habit that will work toward your big goal.
You may want to run a marathon by the end of the year, but start by just making short runs a regular habit, and before you know it, you’ll be increasing your strength and stamina enough that those big goals will seem a lot more doable. Some habits you could work on building into your day might be:
- Morning stretches.
- Walking, jogging or biking to work.
- Start every weekend with a class.
3. Buddy Up
Working out with a friend, or even just having someone to hold you accountable to your goals is one of the best ways to keep you motivated. Keep it friendly, positive and encouraging and make those workouts a fun and friendly time you look forward to.
The motivation will come easily! Why not try and:
- Sign up to each other’s favourite exercise class, learn something new and have fun together!
- Coach each other at something you’re good at. It will help them improve while boosting your own confidence.
- Be each other’s cheerleader! Reward every success and motivate each other when it gets hard to motivate yourself.
4. Know Yourself
Have a good think about how you work best and make your goals work for you. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Do you typically find it easier to focus on one thing for a long period once a week, or would fitting five minutes into your daily routine be more realistic for you?
What exercise ACTUALLY makes you feel good? Are you self-motivated or would you do better having a personal trainer to keep you on track? Don’t try to follow someone else’s workout plan just because it looks good on paper. Here are some examples of making it work for you:
- A stressed out night owl who needs someone else to motivate them could make a habit of going to our 6:30PM FiiT Zone classes on the way home from work to blow off steam.
- A busy, self-motivated person might benefit from a session with a personal trainer to help them come up with 5-10 minute workouts they can fit into small breaks throughout their day at work and home.
- An Early Bird who wants an efficient and high intensity workout will love our 6:45AM HIIT classes to start their day with a burst of energy.
5. Remember Your Reason
Think about WHY you want to achieve your goals and use that reason to shape those goals! If you want to socialise with your workout then try joining our squash or racketball club nights. If you have a specific health concern you’re targeting, work with your doctor, physiotherapist and personal trainer to come up with a foolproof plan to get you feeling your best.
If you want to improve your energy levels so you can keep up with your kids at the playpark, try high intensity interval training for those bursts of speed. And if you want to improve confidence why not shake it all off in Zumba or Jazz Dance? To keep your reason close, you can try and:
- Write out your reason and set it as a daily reminder to pop up on your phone, or have a picture that reminds you of your reason as your phone’s wallpaper.
- Come up with a related mantra you repeat to yourself as you warm up for your workout, such as “I am leaving stress behind me.” Or “I feel happy in my skin.”
- Focus on the positives and let the language around your goals reflect that. You are more likely to feel motivated by saying “I am getting stronger” than by saying “I don’t want to be so weak”, as our brains tend to cling onto the words we use, so while both of those phrases have similar meanings, we can send positive reinforcement to our brain by picking the most motivational wording.
6. Easy Win First Thing
Setting a small and manageable goal and making it a habit first thing in the morning is a great way to keep motivation up throughout the day.
It doesn’t have to be a whole half hour workout routine, it can be as simple as a single push-up or 10 seconds jogging on the spot but making that active choice first thing in the day helps set us up for success. An easy win first thing keeps your bigger goals in mind and keeps us feeling positive. Some easy wins could be:
- Set your alarm clock to a favourite upbeat song, and start your morning with a dance!
- Run on the spot while the kettle boils for your morning coffee.
- Get off the bus one stop early, or park your car an extra street away and walk the rest of the way to work.
7. Forget About New Year
Remember, you can set goals, make changes, and try new things ANY time. If you don’t start your new workout routine on the 1st of January, that’s ok, start on the 2nd instead! Or why wait, start today!
