Five Tips For Making Your Fitness Related Resolutions Actually Stick
Ahhh a new year, 365 days that stare back at you like a blank slate. You can forget last years overindulging and your lack of motivation to get up at the crack of dawn for the gym – because it is 2020 and the year is all yours. This is what we think at least as the new year approaches, we see the new year as the time we will finally be strong-minded and motivated to be healthy.
Eleven days in and I have only just finished all the chocolate in the house and started my ‘new year, new me’, something that will probably stick for a month or so before I find myself sliding off the wagon. I’m not alone in this, according to ExerciseNZ “50% of people who start an exercise regime are likely to drop out within the first six months and more than 90 percent of people who set New Year’s resolutions give them up after just a few months.”
Armed with this information, the only option is to come up with a fail-safe plan for actually sticking to our resolutions. ExerciseNZ has a few suggestions that might just work.
- Work out with a friend – exercising with a friend or significant other who encourages your efforts will help you succeed
- Get expert advice from a registered professional – exercise professionals can tailor a programme to meet your needs and encourage you to strive to improve
- Make it social by taking part in class or group activities – group exercise classes provide a variety of formats for all levels and the added motivation of an instructor
- Plan for success by setting realistic goals – you are more likely to adhere to an exercise programme if you believe you will succeed
- Do something you enjoy – people have different needs and get enjoyment out of different levels of physical activity. Work within your limits and make being active a part of everyday life
