Making Your New Years Goals Stick

~New year, new me~....we've all been there before. How about instead of setting unrealistic goals that fizzle out the second week of January we agree on establishing 2021 as a new LIFESTYLE. Lifestyles are long-term, sustainable changes that will truly contribute to your journey of becoming the cliche "best version of yourself" so why the heck not? If you're ready to commit to an entirely new life that makes you feel and look your absolute best we're here to help you out. Whatever your current and future ambitions look like, we're cheering you on and honestly just applaud you for making it through 2020 (SOS!).

Now that we've given our obligatory pat on the back, let's review a few steps to take to ensure your New Year's goals actually stick:

Define your “why”

Humans inevitably thrive when they feel like they have a purpose. There are a few keys to overall “happiness” and one of them happens to be purpose. By defining your “why” in regards to a fitness goal/resolution you’re MUCH much likely to succeed in the long run. Don’t force yourself to run because you think it will make you lose weight and in turn impress those around you. Choose a plan that aligns with what drives you on the deepest level. What excites you? What exactly is motivating you to make a change? When we CHOOSE to chase dreams that are our own backed by our very own motives we become unstoppable.

Set Realistic Goals

By defining realistic/achievable goals we leave less room for disappointment. How many times have you started an initiative that is overly aggressive and have immediately decided to quit because you feel defeated? SMART goals are...well, smart. Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic. The truth is, when we create vague templates for what we want and how we want to get there we’re bound to get lost along the way. Determine exactly what you want, why you want it, and what you’re going to do to achieve it. For example, instead of deciding “I’m going to work out 5 times a week” try “I’m going to set aside an hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 6am - 7am to workout before work.”

Write Them Down and Make Them Visible

Research shows we’re much more likely to follow through with tasks when they’re written down. Anyone else love sticky notes? Try writing your goals on sticky notes or white boards and display them around the house. Out of sight, out of mind is a very real notion and we all want our goals to be remembered!

Find Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable

Honestly, one of the best ways to make yourself accountable is to find a partner. Whether that partner is as simple as a workout buddy or taken a step further by hiring a coach/trainer, you better bet it will make a drastic difference in your progress. Humans like routines and will naturally gravitate towards practicing patterns that feel comfortable. When it comes to fitness, progress and comfort rarely go hand in hand. Interested in a close touch accountability team to write your workouts, meals, and guide you through your ENTIRE journey (yes, that means calls, texts, emails, videos, etc.) - we’ve got you covered:

Measure Your Progress

Numbers don’t lie….they literally don’t know how to. Whether it’s keeping track of how long you last on a stair-master, the number of steps you take in a day, the amount of weight you increased a specific lift by, the hours of sleep you get, or the total amount of protein intake you’ve hit for the day - IT ALL MATTERS and makes a huge difference in ultimate success. We love Apple watches for activity tracking and highly recommend tracking food intake to learn what a specific body needs.

Rely on More Than Just Motivation

Sometimes motivation just doesn’t cut it. Resilience, purpose, routines, and support does! Motivation is likely to disappear here and there for even the most advanced athletes. The key to sustainable prosperity comes down to turning health into a lifestyle rather than a short term resolution. The first week of January might feel like a breeze because motivation is fresh and spirits are high, but what happens in March when we’re tired and have a laundry list of “other” things to do? The crucial piece to perseverance in this scenario goes far beyond our initial motivation. Schedule workouts in your calendar, find an accountability partner (or trainer), pre-prepare meals….set yourself up for success!

Focus on Joy

Health endeavors we CHOOSE to partake in should attract joy into our lives not detract. Conforming to what we “think” we should do no matter how much we hate it is a recipe for failure. If you absolutely hate powerlifting but think you ~should~ because you want to put on mass, don’t. There’s always a solution to a problem so get creative and find something that sets your soul on fire and makes you feel good. We’ll make you a bet you’re 10x more likely to put on that mass by taking the path that suits you, not someone else. Life is too short to hate our daily routines. Choose joy.