If you’re like most Americans, you’ve set some sort of fitness related New Year’s resolution for 2015. In fact, according to a study done by Scranton University, weight loss was the number one New Year’s resolutions for 2014, with staying fit and healthy at number five. Unfortunately, only 8% of those that set resolutions actually followed through and achieved them.
If staying fit and healthy and/or losing weight is what you want to achieve, then you’ll need to improve your workouts and actually enjoy them to get there. Here are five tips to help you do that:
Don’t Burn Out
Have you ever gone to a gym to workout in January to find it crawling with people eager to start working towards their resolutions? By February it starts to thin out a bit and by March it’s back to being empty.
It’s very easy to get burned out so I would suggest starting small and gradually increasing the amount you workout throughout the year. Whether it be running, fitness classes or trips to the gym, don’t start off by working out every day of the week.
By week two or three you’ll be too exhausted or worse, injured and unable to exercise. If you’re starting from scratch, start by working out 3 days per week, then slowly add days or duration to your workouts.
Mix it Up
Don’t lose interest in your workout by doing the same thing over and over. Keep your workouts fresh by changing your routine every few weeks. If you’ve been going to the gym and are out of new classes to try out there, try running with a group or swimming laps. Attend your local YMCA, check out a new type of personal/group training like Timed Exercise, or go find out what all the rage is over Pure Barre (let me know because I still haven’t!) You can find a full list of fitness classes and running clubs here in the fitness section of the directory.
Another way to change it up is to go outside. Running outside on the beach, swimming laps in the ocean or doing some outdoor yoga are all ways to re-motivate yourself to workout.
Bring a Buddy
One of the best ways to hold your self accountable is to enlist a buddy or two. You most likely know someone who has similar goals and is at a similar level as you, so start asking them to join you in your workouts. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to sleep in and miss a run or a workout, but didn’t because I didn’t want to let one of my buddies down. Plus, it’s way more fun to workout with friends!
Set Realistic Goals
Setting measurable and attainable goals is the key to success in any workout program. I recommend setting weekly goals, such as Week of 1/26 – make it to gym twice this week, do 2 outdoor runs and one power yoga class.
Tailor it to your needs so that it works with your resolution. When your motivation is waning, it helps to set goals for that day or that workout, i.e. make it through this 30 minutes of running without stopping, or burn at least 300 calories before the workout is over. Sometimes just putting on your workout clothes and driving to the gym is a feat in and of itself.
Positive Thinking
There are many reasons that we get discouraged and down about our workout routines. Having a bad week, not losing weight as fast as you’d like, not be able to run as long or as hard as you’d like are all things that can get us down. It’s important to stay positive and remember that reaching fitness goals usually doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about sticking with it and remembering it’s a lifestyle change rather than something that’s going to happen overnight.
What are some ways that you boost your workouts?
