Let’s be honest: it’s hard to stay fit! Unless you’re a gym-aholic, working out can often feel more like a chore than a treat. The fact is, however, that fitness is just downright good for you. It’s good for your mind, body, and spirit. Working out is proven to lower blood pressure, improve your mood, boost your energy, and so much more.
If you want to make fitness a larger part of your New Year, but you’re unsure how to turn fitness from a “have to” to a “want to”, we’re here to help you out! Here are our best tips for boosting your fitness in the New Year.
Set a Goal
We, as humans, like to feel accomplished. As such, we tend to set a lot of goals. Some goals, we consciously set for ourselves. Those are goals like getting a promotion in the next year or saving to a certain number in our savings accounts. Other goals, we set without even thinking. Things like appointments and project deadlines are, in a way, goals.
Goals don’t only keep us motivated, but a well designed goal makes an accomplishment seem more possible, too. Working out is no different than any other part of our lives. If you want to stay motivated, see a clear path to accomplishment, and achieve, you’ve got to set a goal.
A strong workout goal is both clear and realistic. A goal like “get stronger” or “run faster” is too vague to ever feel like you’ve really achieved it. Instead, set a goal with a specific achievement and a specific timeline. For instance:
- Cut my mile time down by 1 minute by July
- Increase my max deadlift by 50 lbs by April
By setting both an achievement and a timeline, you’ll have a clear goal to work towards and an obvious path to get there.
Get the Right Gear
Have you ever seen a beautiful pair of gym shoes in a store and suddenly had visions of yourself sprinting for miles in those babies? There’s something about new gear that just inspires.
Is top-of-the-line gear a necessity for your workout? No, it’s not. You can get the job done in some stretchy pants and an old pair of sneakers. But will you feel good about it? We’re willing to bet not. Plus, it turns out that working out in worn out sneakers can lead to injury.
That’s why we’re huge proponents of treating yourself to new workout gear. If you want to make fitness a priority in the New Year, buy yourself some new workout gear that gets you dreaming of the gym. Look for things like:
- Sweat-wicking performance athletic apparel
- Women’s athletic shoes for your activity of choice
- A waterproof gym bag
Good gear just makes you feel good, and that’s never a bad thing!
Grab Your Partner
Humans are such social animals. We’re always more motivated to do something when we’ve got someone to do it with. When it comes to fitness, we’re no different.
Finding a partner for the gym is a must if you’re serious about working out. Not only will it just make fitness more fun, but you’ll also have another person to hold you accountable to showing up and making the most of your workout.
An accountability partner doesn’t always have to be a single person. It could be a regular workout group, a class, or a personal trainer. The important thing is that they hold you accountable, and you hold them accountable, too!
Have Fun!
No matter what you choose to do for fitness, the most important thing to remember is to have fun! If you don’t have fun doing fitness, we’re willing to bet it’s not going to stick. You’re never going to feel motivated to do something you despise.
If the gym isn’t your thing, all is not lost for your workout regimen! Here are a few other ideas you may discover that you love:
- Join a rec sports team
- Bike around your city
- Go hiking on a nearby trail
- Find a local bootcamp
Fitness doesn’t come in just one form. There are so many ways to boost your fitness in the New Year. It’s just a matter of finding what works best for you!
Article Submitted By Community Writer
