Goodbye, 2021! We made it! Another trip around the Sun! The new year is always a time of reflection AND resolutions. Things we’re going to do differently in 2022. The most popular of which is always the new fitness journey. Well, to help you with that I’m going to give you 5 tips to make sure that 2022 is a year of REAL change for you. None of this going out hard for the month of January and then quitting in February. So, without further ado here’s tip number 1!
- BE PROCESS FOCUSED: the number one reason people fail to reach their goals or stick with their resolutions is because they focus on the OUTCOME rather than the process. Example, someone makes a goal of losing 15lbs by the end of January. They go to the gym almost every day and maybe even make some good dietary changes but the end of the month comes and maybe they only lose 8lbs. “FAILURE” they think. If the goal had simply been about the process, “go to the gym at least 4 times per week”, they would have never gotten discouraged at the end of the month. Weight loss can depend on a myriad of factors. Instead be sure to focus on the process that’s going to lead you there rather than an end all be all final destination.
- TAKE ON THE JOURNEY WITH A FRIEND/SPOUSE: doing anything different or challenging has always been made less daunting when done with a friend or loved one. You can share in the struggle. You can bounce useful ideas off each other. You also have someone to keep you accountable. If there’s a day where you don’t feel up for the gym, maybe your friend or loved one is and gives you just the push you need to get through that day.
- FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO: so often when taking on a new regimen we look to the people who we want to end up as and try doing exactly what they’re doing. We forget that they’ve probably been doing it for YEARS and haven’t wavered; nor did they start where we are seeing them now. We attempt to do what they’re doing and fall flat on our face or worse injure ourselves, get discouraged and immediately drop the new routine. Be respectful of your limits. If you want to learn a new skill or complete a new feat, put in the time and effort with the small tedious daily tasks that are going to get you there.
- MAKE SOME KIND OF DIETARY CHANGE: it doesn’t have to be you quitting everything you know isn’t good for you cold turkey. However, ultimately we all want to see some results and exercise alone is NOT going to get you there. Start small by eliminating ONE THING you know you should probably do without maybe a few times per week. For example, maybe you drink soda every day. Start out by eliminating soda 3 times out of the week. Work backwards from there.
- CELEBRATE SMALL VICTORIES: the most certain way to maintain a habit is to create a reward system for that new habit. For example, if every time you brushed your teeth when you were a kid, your parents would come in the bathroom and give you a dollar or just praise you, you would be much more likely to continue brushing your teeth without being told to do so. At our core human beings still have a lot of animalistic tendencies. One of which is to link something to a reward and what brought you the reward. If you’re able to fit into a pair of jeans or a shirt that hasn’t fit in quite some time, post about it on social media OR go buy yourself something. The more you link your wins in the gym, dietary changes with a reward the more likely it is to maintain that habit.
The best thing you can do is just start. Fitness and health is like anything else, no one is good at it the first time they do it. Even the people you see on social media every day did not start out like that. It took time. . Applaud yourself for trying something new and give yourself the time to see if this is something that can actually provide results. Even the BEST program in the world isn’t going to create all the change you want in 1 month. Tell yourself you’re going to do it for 90 days come hell or high water and after that make a decision. Cheers to 2022!
Ready to make this your start? Set up a time to chat with us about your goals and what you’re looking for in 2022 – schedule now!