Make New Routines, Not Resolutions, in 2023
It’s NEVER Too Late to Set a New Direction for 2023!
There’s a popular saying in fitness circles: “It’s not about what you eat between Christmas and New Year’s Eve; it’s about what you eat between New Year’s Day and Christmas.”
This is true for every aspect of your fitness life, from workout routines to sleep cycles. Entering a new year can make for incredible motivation when it’s approached constructively. As an American, statistically speaking, you’ve made weight loss (or general fitness) into a New Year’s resolution at least once. After all, more than half of all new year’s resolutions include commitments towards fitness, weight loss, or both.
If you’re familiar with that number, you’re probably familiar with another statistic: the majority of resolutions fail. In fact, studies have suggested making a fitness-centric New Year’s resolution can actually DECREASE the success of those fitness journeys.
Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be the case for you. Let’s take a look at what separates a constructive set of commitments from counterproductive ones!
Start With a Goal in Mind
Having an actionable goal is essential in keeping yourself committed to your fitness journey. While resolutions like “I want to get in shape” or “I want to lose 20 lbs” are certainly admirable, they don’t always set people up for success. This is especially the case for resolutions that center around losing a specific amount of weight. Sure, you may lose 20 pounds through an intense workout regime or diet, but what will you do afterward? Unless you have a game plan, there’s a (scientifically documented) risk you may come out of your weight-loss routine at a higher weight than when you started.
That’s why experts recommend picking a tangible goal you can train towards. Instead of saying, “I want to be healthier,” pick a goal you can measure progress towards. For example, “I want to run a 5k by summer” or “I want to be able to play a full 3-set game of tennis without taking breaks” are both goals that are easier to conceptualize and, therefore, MUCH easier to stick to.
Instead of a Restrictive Diet, Consider an Intuitive One
This advice applies to nutrition, as well. Sure, someone might see incredible results by sticking to a super restrictive diet in the short term. Unless those changes are sustainable, the momentum they generate will likely vanish the instant they get sick of eating nothing but celery sticks and protein shakes.
Instead of restricting your eating, try approaching it from a different angle. Never underestimate the degree to which small changes can add up—especially when you stick to them!
For example, consider doing a Dry 30 (or 60, or 90), where you go 30 days without alcohol. If you’re a person who snacks a lot, try a few weeks of limiting your caloric intake to just mealtimes or making a promise to yourself to only eat within an 8-hour, 10-hour, or 12-hour window during the day. Once you make one small constructive change, you’ll be in a better situation to make another. Then another. If you can stick to small, manageable commitments, you’ll quickly see all the benefits add up.
Find an Exercise You Love
Just like you’re not going to see any fitness success sticking to a diet you don’t enjoy, you won’t accomplish much by picking a workout you don’t like. If you try powerlifting, yoga, or cycling a few times and decide they’re not for you, that’s perfectly okay! Just because you don’t personally resonate with a type of workout doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’ll be better served elsewhere.
If more traditional weightlifting isn’t your jam, consider picking up a sport or martial art! If you really, REALLY don’t like cardio, you can always look for a group fitness class that doesn’t emphasize it or a form of fitness that disguises cardio as something else—like Zumba!
Your success with a fitness routine is measured, first and foremost, by how much you’re willing to stick with it. That’s a lot easier if you find something you actively look forward to doing.
Join a Community
Let’s face it: maintaining a fitness journey alone is hard. Thankfully, you don’t need to do it alone! One of the biggest secrets to long-term fitness success is finding a community that supports you—both in the gym and out of it.
That’s where we come in.
From boot camps and cycling to yoga and Pilates, our fitness club in the Denver Tech Center has everything you need to turn your goals into accomplishments. All gyms have a treadmill, but if you’re looking for a place where you belong, then we’re the place for you.
