Why remembering to revisit your fitness goals is essential to making them come true.
Not all goals or resolutions are created equal. If your fitness goals for the new year aren’t sticking in the way you hoped they would, these tools might help you reset.
We’re a month into the New Year, which we know means a lot of you have recently started working on new fitness goals or resolutions. We love that! Knowing that you want to commit to your fitness and wellbeing is the first step in making a change in your life. Unfortunately, we also know that also means this might be around the time you’re doubting or giving up on your goals.
There’s a reason New Year’s Resolutions get a bad reputation; a lot of people do abandon them! But whether or not you’re still going strong with the goals you set at the beginning of the year, it’s not too late to keep making progress. Having a perfectionist mindset and thinking that if you already messed up your goals, it’s too late for this year, is only working against you. You still have the majority of the year ahead! Take some time to check in with yourself now about how your resolutions are going and if needed, here’s some strategies to readjust your resolutions.
Just Take the First Step
If you haven’t done anything to work towards your New Years resolutions since you wrote them down, we get it. If that’s the case, we challenge you to make a plan for how to take the first step right now. You might be spending so much time thinking about how you want to achieve your goals that you’re holding yourself back from getting started. So why not jump in? Schedule a workout class, make that shopping list, or download a meditation app. Nothing is stopping you from revising your plan once you get started, and at least then you’ll have enough progress under your belt to get the ball rolling.
Try SMART Goals
A 2021 ABC Columbia article looked at a similar premise to this. They pointed to a study that had found 80% of people abandon their New Years Resolutions and suggested using SMART Goals instead. SMART Goals, which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound, and goals with a specific set of parameters designed to give you a better chance of achieving them. Take a look at your fitness resolutions and ask yourself if they meet these categories. If not, can you add some more confines, whether it’s a bit more specificity or a more reasonable timeline, to make your goals more achievable? Take some time to look into SMART Goals and consider how they could benefit you.
Do Something Out of the Ordinary
We’re creatures of habit. Sometimes the hardest part about resolutions can be that you have to shake up your current routine in order to do so. If you’re finding your goals too hard to institute, why not try to do something else outside of your schedule first? Think of something that feels easy or fun and set aside some time to go do it! It might open up space in your brain to invite more new experiences in too.
Find An Accountability Buddy
If working towards your goals alone isn’t working for you, it might be time to call in a friend. As explained in NPR, “accountability buddies or groups can be powerful and effective in helping you complete tasks or reach your objectives.” In other words, accountability buddies or groups are people you choose to discuss your goals with and check in with about how your goals are going. Some people find having this outward support or (loving) pressure quite helpful in achieving their goals.
Schedule Your Next Check-In
January is a common time to abandon goals, but that’s not to say that if you make it to February, you’re all in the clear. Goals don’t just happen; you have to keep working towards them!
Unfortunately, we all know life gets busy and difficult, and it can be easy to let go of the newest habits you’ve created when we hit these roadblocks in life. Put a time in your calendar right now, whether it’s in a week or a month from now where you can do another check in with yourself about how these goals are going. Did you make any progress? If yes, what worked? If not, what’s holding you back? Try to keep this conversation with yourself going all year, and you might be surprised how much of an impact it has on your ability to reach your goals.
If getting into the fitness studio is a part of your new years resolutions, find a class near you and we’ll look forward to seeing you soon!