Every year you set a new goal, a new challenge and vow your best to make it stick. Then you fail and give up and it becomes a joke, nowadays a meme. We see them everywhere especially around this time of the year but why? Why is it that it is so hard to make your new year's resolutions stick? In this case, why is it so hard to achieve your fitness goals?
It could be that the extra motivation you had during the exciting holiday season, and being away from your “normal routine” is long gone and you've fallen back to the same old habits, same old life. Excitement and motivation have gone poof and you’re right back to where you started or maybe even further away from your original goal than you were before.
First you have to ask yourself why you set this specific goal. What's the reason that you want to lose a certain amount of weight, or run a marathon in a specific amount of time? Whatever your goals may be it's important that you're honest with yourself and really look into why? It can help to make a pros and cons list so that you are clear on why you want what you want and how bad you want it, so you can actually do something about it.
Secondly, once you've set your goals, make sure they are realistic. It's been proven that most “new year's resolutions” fail by mid-March and you might be wondering why that is? I believe it simply because expectations are set way too high- not that you shouldnt aim for the stars and push yourself but you have to have realistic goals. So that you are able to achieve your goals and maintain them.
Once you’ve set your goals (realistic ones!!!) it's important to adapt your lifestyle to the new habits. If you don't incorporate them into your lifestyle but try to fit them into your lifestyle and crazy schedule you're not only going to make things harder for yourself but also setting yourself up for failure. Just like going to work is part of your daily routine so should your goals be part of your routine, a non negotiable! You HAVE to go to work every day or there are serious consequences, same goes for your goals. Might sound a bit extreme but it’s a way to ensure that you're able to stick to and achieve your goals.
Another important aspect is to set accountability, now this can be done in a way that you have to answer to others and that might motivate you a little more to actually do it! Whether that's signing up with a trainer that's going to track your progress and push you harder than you would push yourself, you can also make it fun ( which will increase the chances of success) by including your friends and or family! By going on hikes or making activities with your loved ones it helps you enjoy them that much more and not dread it! For example, going on a hike with friends might sound way more appealing than working out by yourself.
Not only is time going by faster when you're having fun, but you're also getting closer to them and investing in those relationships but you're making progress towards your goals and making it a part of your lifestyle.