New Year, New You? If you really want that to be the case let’s iron some things out together!
2022 is going to be my 10th year working in the fitness industry so I have met my fair share of resolutionists in January over the years. If you are reading this maybe you were once one of them!
The sad truth about those that resolve to turn over a new leaf in January are more than likely back on the couch come July 1. In fact, studies have shown in recent years that as high as 60% of those have stopped working out by July 1.
It’s unfortunate, but true. If you are hoping to make your health and fitness a priority in 2022 we have some advice for you!
- Define Your Goal – Be as specific as you can. Don’t simply say you want to lose 50lbs in 2022. Instead create smaller milestones along the way! Try to lose 10lbs by March 1st, once you reach that milestone create the next one, 25lbs down by July 1st. Breaking your goal into smaller chunks will create wins along the way and that’s what we all need to reach our goals!
2. Plan of Action – Now that you have your goal clearly defined what steps are you going to take to reach it? If this is a goal you have set before try to remember the pitfalls that prevented you from reaching it last time. Brainstorm how you avoid making those same mistakes again.
An all too common pitfall is trying to do too much too soon. If you currently do not eat anything but fast food then it’s not realistic to say that beginning January 1st you will be cooking all of your meals at home. Remember, smaller chunks will make this sustainable. So it might be more realistic to say that you are going to cook and eat at home on the weekend when you are not bogged down with work.
3. Find a Friend – Do you actually know someone in your life that does not want to be healthier? Chances are your spouse, a friend or a coworker have very similar goals. Find that person in your life that also has plans to be a better version of themselves next year and share your goals with them! Accountability is what the vast majority of us need. Maybe you two can workout together before or after work. Maybe you two can share recipes and meal prep on the weekends.
The American Society of Training and Development (ATSD) conducted studies on accountability and found that we have a 65% chance of completing a goal if we commit to someone and if we create accountability appointments we increase our chance of success by up to 95%!
Creating new habits is not easy but it can be done with a well thought out plan. If you would like help creating that plan for 2022 just shoot us a message. We are always happy to help!