By SWL Staff
January 21 2020, 10.40
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The start of a new year compels us to become fitter, healthier, more productive versions of ourselves.
But if your New Year’s Resolution involved a bold new exercise routine then frankly, the odds are heavily against you maintaining it beyond this week.
As many as 80% of New Year’s Resolutions are broken by the end of January, according to a study by the University of Minnesota.
This all sounds very discouraging, but we’ve come up with some ideas to help you reach your fitness goals this year and feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with hard work paying off.
Here are five ways to prevent fitness failures in 2020:
1. Don’t make News Year’s Resolutions
Changing your habits is not about motivation: it’s about discipline. Every January we go into motivation overload and make grand promises to ourselves. Instead of making big resolutions, decide on one thing you are going to differently from today and simply do it. When that becomes second nature, add something else and keep going. By the end of the year, who knows what your regimen will look like.
2. Find an accountability partner
Do you have a friend who wants to improve their health too? It doesn’t matter if they like swimming while you lift weights – help each other. Set manageable goals together at the beginning of a week and then keep in touch by text with your progress. You’re much less inclined to skip a work out if you know someone is rooting for you.
3. Join a sports team
Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. By taking part in a team sport, you’ll have all the fun of socialising (and competing) with others, and you’ll be making long term commitment not just to yourself, but to the whole team. There are plenty of beginner’s sports groups all over London to be found on Meetup.
4. Watch sports to inspire you
Remember how much you wanted to become an athlete after the London 2012 Olympics? There is no better inspiration than watching sports stars dazzle crowds at the peak of their fitness. So, why not immerse yourself in a particular sport to help you see your goals through to the end of the year. The sporting calendar 2020 is packed with incredible fixtures.
5. Celebrate small successes along the way
It’s easy to focus on an end goal like running that marathon or firming up the six pack. But the road to success is paved with many smaller achievements which deserve acknowledgement. Be proud of yourself for the extra ten minutes running, for getting up to swim in the freezing cold. Above all, be proud of yourself for not giving up, whatever time of year it is.
