Pop that champagne, say goodbye to 2024!
As another year passes, the inevitable post holiday hangover begins. So often this “hangover” leads us to make decisions about our fitness and health. I know for me, setting myself up for success early on in the year will bode well for my mental AND physical health.
The New Year feels like the perfect time for a fresh start, and setting fitness goals can be incredibly motivating. But how often have you or someone you know set big goals in January, only to abandon them by February?
It’s not because you lack willpower or desire—it’s often because of a few key mistakes that many people make. In this blog, we’ll uncover the top three mistakes to avoid when setting New Year’s fitness goals and share how to set yourself up for long-term success.
Mistake # 1 - Overcommitting to Unrealistic Goals
Do you feel urgency to get into shape?
As I mentioned above, I am just about ready to dive into some good workouts, healthier eating, and more mindful practice of my health. These past 3 weeks of eating what I want and doing close to no physical activity aside from walking…it’s time to jump back in.
But wait!
Before you “JUMP” back in, we need to be realistic for what we can accomplish.
New years might be a time that feels like it’s a totally new start…and in some ways it is a fresh start, or can be seen as one. Holidays have passed so the pressure of hosting parties, going out with friends and family are temporarily put on the back burner.
Also if you’ve been putting off fitness for this moment, you might have all this stored up energy in regards to getting right into some big goals. Maybe it’s been on your mind for a few months and January was your moment in time to say, “yes, I am ready to do this thing now”.
The BIGGEST mistake I find people run into during this heightened time of emotion and motivation….is setting the bar too high.
If you all of a sudden decide that you want to workout 5x a week, lose 30 lbs and totally change your diet…you will be setting yourself up for a rude awakening.
The key here is to set a realistic goal. A small change is best. For example if you are not currently in any exercise program, I would advise you to commit to starting with 2x a week of working out, paired with 3 days of 20 minute walks.
Action step: Walk before you can run….
Set a realistic goal for the new year. Keep it simple and something that you can say with 100% certainty, that you can do.
Mistake # 2 - Focusing solely on the outcome, not on the process
Do you want to make it past February 1st with your fitness goal?
The end goal can feel very far away. If your big goal is to lose 30 pounds…this takes time. Time that you might not realize when you first put out those lofty goals. When 3 weeks go by and you’ve “only” lost 3 lbs…you might feel defeated. I still have 27 more lbs to go!!!
When progress is slow, it's very easy to get discouraged by the seemingly lack of progress.
Rather what you should do instead is focus on the habits you are building. This allows you to focus more on the process than the progress.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t put focus into the progress you are making. In fact it’s very important to celebrate those small wins. Recognizing the positive momentum is important and it will give you more staying power when it comes to making these fitness changes.
However, if you can shift your mindset towards the impact of your process of getting fit, you’ll be in a much better headspace when progress slows or isn’t as fast as you would like.
I for one know this…as a seasoned weight lifter…progress for me is very slow. It can take me 3 months to see a true increase in strength, even after lifting consistently weekly. This can and has felt very daunting.
Action step: Every Sunday write down 3 wins you’ve had towards your fitness.
This can be things like…
Got up early in the AM to workout, even after a holiday dinner party
Ate at least 1 vegetable everyday
Got 4 walks in this week!
Mistake # 3 - Skipping a plan and Relying on Willpower
Willpower isn’t for everyone...and it’s definitely not the most effective way to find results in fitness.
Yes your friends who workout might say “oh you just need willpower to push through those moments that your brain tells you to sleep in and not go to the gym”
Willpower however is very unreliable. Your mood can quickly change once life gets busy or stressful. When things get busy, we fall BACK to our habits. If you haven't established a workout habit yet…you’ll fall back into the normal routine. (Which for many, would be to do nothing!)
IF however you have a plan of attack…you’ll be able to rely on that plan to set your guidelines. Having a set day and workout planned can make all the difference in those moments of stress and life busyness.
This also helps greatly in the food department. If you have specific days that you cook X meal…then every week on that day you’ll be making that meal. Rather than shooting at the hip and ordering something out because the day got away from you.
Having a plan is a major reason why so many people in my gym have success. They know that on every Tuesday morning at 7AM, they are going to be coming to the gym to do their bench press day. There’s a schedule in place as well as a plan of attack for the actual workout part.
It’s one thing to schedule a time to go to the gym…but take it a next step further and know exactly what you are doing, before you enter the building.
I’m sure we all have seen the rush of new people coming into the gym January 1st…meandering around not knowing what the hell to do.
I’ve heard many stories of people going into the gym…looking around, not knowing what to do…finding themselves on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Then they get bored, leave..and potentially not stick to the routine.
Systems help you to create that routine and help you to make true changes. This is why I’m such a big believer in hiring a coach to help with your fitness.
This is literally what I plan to do this January…hire a coach to help me with my fitness. (Even though I know all the science, systems, and own a gym…I still need to have someone create a plan for me and keep me accountable!)
Action step: Build a fitness system that works for you, that you can rely on even during times of stress.
Hire a coach to help you know exactly what you need to do to help you with your fitness.
Set up a reliable schedule that you know you can commit to (IE: workout Monday, Wed, Fri)
Create a schedule for your meals (even if it just starts at 1 meal a day planned out)
Get those goals to stick this year
I want to leave you with some encouragement for this year. 2025 can be your year.
If you’ve attempted this before, be honest with yourself and seek help where you need it. Having someone to go through the journey with can be the biggest game changer there is when it comes to fitness.
By avoiding some of these common mistakes, you can look back at the end of the year and smile. Smile because you’ve accomplished something that you may not have thought you could. I hear it often here…a 50 year old woman who never exercised with weights before now loves the feeling lifting provides. The personal achievement of following through on your fitness can have impacts far beyond just how you look in the mirror.
So with that said, cheers to 2024…onwards and upwards!
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