Come January 1, many of us will put our goals for the new year into action -- and for some, that includes focusing more on fitness.
While the new year undoubtedly inspires people to make their health a center of attention, it can be hard to stick to those goals long-term.
The first month or so might be easy, but then our resolutions quickly fade as real life takes over and we easily fall into the routines we tried to leave behind.
According to experts with Good Housekeeping, these are ways to stick to your fitness goals in 2023:
1) Identify why a goal is hard to stick to
Before committing to your goal, have an honest self-dialogue and list all the reasons why it is important to you. Try to visualize what a goal will look like when you reach it, and how disappointed you would be if you aren't successful.
"The problem is often a goal we think we should set, versus one that's actually important to us," Allison Grupski, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and vice president of behavior change strategies and coaching at Weight Watchers, told Good Housekeeping. "We know that the more something matters to us, the more motivated we are."
2) Think critically about how to reach a goal with a realistic timeline and manageable steps
In other words, don't shoot for the moon. Break your goal into manageable, measurable steps and include a timeline that's realistic. It's all about the "little wins."
"The more you can zero in on the details of what success will look like, the better," Grupski told the magazine.
3) Track your progress
Sticker charts are popular with children for a reason, it's a sign of accomplishment and a way to visualize progress. While you may not need a chart with shiny, sparkly stickers on your wall, recording the "mini milestones" you complete along the way to reaching your goal is one way to make sure you're making meaningful changes and keeping you motivated to do more.
"It's those feelings of success that drive us to keep taking steps forward," Grupski said.
4) Optimize your surroundings, so your environment makes fitness more accessible
This step can seem overwhelming, especially if you choose to focus on your diet while others in your household keep the pantry stocked with junk food you're trying to avoid. If that's the case, you'll really need to be "creative so your environment can help you rather than get in your way," Grupski says.
Share your goals with your family so they can support you, and make sure they leave space for your healthy snacks. They may even choose to join along on your fitness journey. Designating a quiet space, even if it's just a corner in a room, where you can go to focus on your goal is also helpful.
5) Acknowledge the effort
This goes back to being realistic about the goal you are setting. A goal that's too ambitious or doesn't align with your lifestyle can lead to burnout and set you up for failure.
"One of the first things I always encourage people to ask themselves is why they haven't met that particular goal yet. What's been getting in the way? What changes are you going to have to make, and are they realistic," Grupski told GH. "If it's not do-able, it's probably worth rethinking the goal itself or the way you plan to achieve it."
6) Do what moves you
This is all about doing activities that you enjoy and feel less like a chore. Grupski recommends a strategy called "piggybacking."
"Connecting with something you already do can be really powerful," she said. "Whenever I call my friend or my mom, I'll go for a walk. You're sort of hitching that new habit onto an old one and making it work for you."
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