As the New Year is fast approaching, we all gear up to be a better version of ourselves. It is great to set fitness goals, but it is also important to be realistic about goals. We have created a list of 5 ways to keep sight of your fitness goals and maintain realistic New Year’s Resolutions.
1. Eat Better – A great base for fitness is to start with a healthy diet. Of course we don’t mean to completely do a 180 and beat yourself up if you go off track for a day or two. This is not a realistic goal. Start out small and work your way to a healthier diet. Try to include a protein at breakfast. Cut out sugary snacks and drinks. Try to make small improvements that work toward a larger goal.
2. Aim for Improvement not Perfection – It can be quite disheartening when you are not able to do something perfectly the first time you try it. But in our eyes, that’s not a realistic mindset. Nobody is able to be perfect the first time and that’s OK. Aim for small improvements and eventually you will find you get pretty darn good. Focusing on small successes will help you stay realistic about your accomplishments.
3. Any Fitness Counts – A workout does not have to be a full two hours pumping iron at the gym. You’re busy and quite frankly, any fitness you can fit into your day is better than nothing. A quick set of lunges and squats in the morning or a 20 minute ab workout when you get home counts in our books! Small steps in day to day activity can go a long way also. Try to park in that spot that forces you to walk a little further to the store. If you are in the city, walk to your destination instead of taking the bus. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Everything counts.
4. Accountability – If you are the only one who knows that you have a fitness goal, what are the consequences if you don’t meet your goal? Nothing. We cannot stress how important it is to have a partner who shares your interest and goals. Find a friend to work out with or to have a friendly fitness competition with. Plus, a friend will help keep your goals insight and your mindset balanced and realistic.
5. Set Realistic Goals – We love to dream big, and really, there is no reason why you shouldn’t too. It is important though to keep in mind a realistic time frame. If you have never run before, don’t expect to run a marathon in three months. Small steps are key, and it is important to remember that even baby steps are steps forward. Start out with a 5K run, then a 10K, then a half marathon, and before you know it you’ll be running the full marathon. Just keep in mind that it is not realistic to expect it to happen over night.
