Is it safe to say that the most common New Year's resolution is "go to the gym more" ? As the calendar page turns, the gym is suddenly crowded with countless people who are looking to get in shape in the new year. Unfortunately, many of those people fall of their resolutions within a month of two. But why?
The Problem: They start off too strong
How many people do you know who have gone from not having worked out in five years to trying to fit in 6 workouts a week? I can name a few. And how many of those people gave up within the first month of their new routine? Almost all of them, right? Many people will set their goals too high right from the beginning, which can get discouraging and exhausting pretty quick. Whether it's the number of workouts per week, the pounds too loose, the distance to run or the weight to lift, starting off too strong is a sure way to loose hope quickly.
The Solution: Start small
Slow and steady wins the race. Setting a goal is important, but these goals shouldn't overwhelm you. Your goals should motivate you because you know that with hard work, it is something you can achieve. If you want to workout 6 days a week, maybe start with three or four. Give your body time to adjust to this new lifestyle and not be shocked when it is sore all the time. Rest is important too! If you want to loose 30 pounds, start with 5 and see where you can take it from there. If you want to run a half-marathon, perhaps sign up for a 5 or 10km first and work towards that goal. Ambition is great, but you are more likely to stick to a goal if it doesn't discourage you right from the start. Start off with a smaller goal and crush it. After, set the bar higher and higher with time.
The Problem: They don't prioritize their workouts
Many people approach fitting their workouts into their lifestyle the wrong way. They pop in their gym days around their plans and as things come up, they push back their workouts instead of those plans. Why not do today what you can do tomorrow? Finding excuses is a huge roadblock.
The Solution: Plan around your workouts
Choose a workout schedule and commit to it. If you plan on working out every Wednesday and your friend asks you to go for dinner, you can either tell them "sorry, Wednesdays are my gym days", or "yes, but it might be a little later since I have to go to the gym after work". Not everyone will understand these reasons, but you need to keep yourself accountable. Plan your life around your workout schedule. Otherwise, there will always be something else you could be doing other than putting your health and fitness first.
The Problem: They go alone
For some, going to the gym alone can be quite boring. On top of that, when you are new to the gym, the machines and the people can feel quite intimidating. The gym can be a scary place when you aren't familiar with how things work and where to find them.
The Solution: Find a buddy
Physical activity has always been a part of my life, however, I had never been to a gym until I got to university. In my four years of school, I only went to the school gym a handful of times. In third year, a friend of mine wanted to reactivate her gym membership and invited me along. The saleswoman convinced me to sign up for a membership and honestly, I am so happy I went through with signing up. I started going to the gym with my friend and as intimidating as it was a first, she taught me a lot. Having this friend held me accountable to the plans I made to go. She also motivated me to stick to my workouts and to push myself further. I played it safe for a while, and she encouraged me to lift a little heavier and to my surprise, I was able to easily. She showed me how to use the equipment and exercises that don't require any. Having a workout buddy helps so much to get into the habit of working out. In your friend circle, there must be many of you with this same resolution. So why not tackle it together?
The Problem: They choose boring exercises
If you've never been to a gym, jumping right into the workout equipment and free weights is going to bore the hell out of you. The static movement of weight machines can feel quite dull. People often assume that this is what they have to do to get fit, and they quickly get bored with it and give up.
The Solution: Mix things up and have fun
Weight lifting is important to build muscle, but there are so many other things to mix in that keeps things fun and motivating. Many gyms offer workout classes throughout the week, whether they are cardio, weight lifting, spinning or yoga, they have something for just about everyone. Attending these kinds of classes is a great way of getting in shape and having an effective workout, all while having fun. Plus, your gym will usually have a fixed schedule, making going on a set day in your workout schedule easy! Exercising doesn't have to be boring. Find something you enjoy!
The Problem: They skip steps
Many people think that the key to fitness only includes going to the gym and lifting weights. Or, maybe they eat really healthy, but don't work out. They think that eating healthy or slightly healthy will make all of the difference. Health and fitness includes a lot, and often times, people cut corners.
The Solution: Make HEALTH your priority
The foods you eat, the amount of sleep you get, the amount of water you drink, how you take care of your mental health, how much self-care you practice, how you let you body recover... All of these things play into your overall health. Sure, working out is great, but if you let the rest of it go, it won't take you very far. It doesn't matter how much you go to the gym if you eat junk every day, get no sleep, only drink soda, neglect your mental health, don't take care of yourself and kill your muscles every day. Yes, fitness should be made a priority, but so should your overall HEALTH. To make health your priority, you need to take care of all of the elements that make you healthy. You will see much better and faster results if you take everything into account.
The Problem: They expect results too fast
Many people will expect instant results. They think that after a week or a month of working out, they will have achieve all of their goals, fit into pants that are three sizes smaller than before and become a whole new person.
The Solution: Track your progress and don't give up
Fitness takes time, and many people either don't realize that or don't want to accept it. When we see ourselves in the mirror every day, it's normal to not see the progress that we are slowly making. A motivating way of seeing how much progress you've made since the beginning of your fitness journey is to keep a tracker. Writing down the days you workout in a bullet journal could be a great way of seeing just how much work you've put in. You could track the amount of times you've been in a week to see how much more you go, how much weight you can lift over time, you can weigh in to see how much you've actually lost, the kilometres you've run and how much faster you are getting and so on. It might feel like you aren't progressing fast when you are doing something regularly. Tracking it is visual proof of your progress. Something else I encourage is taking a photo of yourself when you started your goal, and check-in every month or two. Seeing the difference over time is so much more apparent when you make a point of seeing the difference. A new routine takes time to get into. It takes time to get stronger. It takes time to loose weight. It takes time to reach a goal. No matter what, don't give up on those goals. Because you deserve to be happy and healthy.
Don't fall into the mass of people who haven't walked through the gym doors since January 4th! Reaching that healthier lifestyle goal is completely attainable if you go at it the right way. Remember, fitness is a marathon, not a race. Give yourself time, keep things interesting, and take care of yourself. You can do it!
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