New Year, New You? Here’s How To *Actually* Stick To Your Fitness Goals In 2023
Hey, Evie girl, this year is the year you’re going to do it. You’ve already made up your mind that you want to get fit (or fitter), and I’m going to be right here on the sidelines cheering you on.
It’s in our human design to pick a routine and stick to it, and for some of us that routine isn’t always so friendly toward our figures. Making a conscious change and dedicating yourself to a revitalized fitness goal is going to take some long-term commitment on your part because you’re essentially rewiring your mind.
Sticking to fitness goals as a New Year’s resolution might seem like an uphill battle that you’ll give up on come Valentine's Day. The good news is if you make thoughtful changes in your day-to-day life, thereby creating new habits, you’ll eventually find it’s just as hard to break those positive habits as it was to break the old ones. Ready to get going? Let’s jump right in!
Narrow Your Focus
Alright, I know you’re eager to conquer the world, but let’s be real: That “New Year, New Me” mindset where you go all-in on motivation isn’t super sustainable. While you should definitely be enthusiastic about turning over a new leaf in your health and wellness journey, you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself. There’s an element of truth to that old adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” because deep-rooted habits are hard to reverse.
It’s not impossible to change your habits either though! You can achieve more if you narrow your focus to a few solid goals instead of attempting to do a total 180. Pick three or so fitness-related goals that are realistic, fit into your work-life balance, and can be managed without sacrificing anything that’s important to you. The National Academy of Sports Medicine uses the SMART goal philosophy, meaning that goals are more attainable if they are “specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-specific.”