How To Stick With Your Health & Fitness Resolutions In 2021

January ushers in a fresh start; out with old in with the new! We dream about the things we want to have, be, or do. We vow that things will be different this year so we create ambitious plans to make our dreams come true.

According to surveys, most people give up on their resolutions by the second or third week of January and resign themselves to the “realities” of life.

The fiery passion that ignited the New Year fades into a weak flicker that dies in days.

Leading the list of resolutions are health and fitness goals, for most people. Ads are everywhere for discounted gym memberships, waived fees, and new diets that promise you will lose those holiday inches in just days.

But you know how it goes because you’ve seen it all before. The gym is full in January and empty weeks later.

But you can make your fitness goals come true – you can be an exception to the statistics this year. Here’s how.

Be Simple

Making things overly complicated kills motivation and progress. Don’t over think your diet, workout clothes, or even your workout routine.

Have as few moving parts as possible.

Which is better, a complicated workout routine you struggle with and quit weeks later, or one that’s simple and easy to stick with?

Same with your diet; don’t make it complicated. Eat healthy most of the time but enjoy your favorite foods some of the time. It’s about balance and enjoying the journey.

When it comes to fitness goals, the secret to success is consistency, not perfection. So choose a workout and diet you can stick with.

Be Realistic

Transforming your body isn’t an overnight process despite what the infomercials promise. Those professional fitness models took more than a few months to sculpt their flawless bodies into perfection.

So don’t believe the hype that “All it takes is fifteen minutes a day, three times a week!” Hey, fifteen minutes a day three times a week is better than nothing, but it’s probably not enough to get the results you see in those ads.

Transforming your body takes time. So create a process that you can enjoy by setting realistic goals you will stick with.

Start small. You might aim for two to three workout a week, and avoid your favorite junk foods five days a week, allowing yourself a few treats on the weekend.

Own Your Why

Transforming your health and body is about consistency. And the reality is, some days you’ll feel like doing it, some you won’t, but you have to do it anyway.

The fiery motivation you had at the first of the year will die down, which is why you need more than inspiration to keep you going. You need a strong reason to keep you moving forward when you’d rather be sitting on the couch after a long day at work.

Some strong reasons include having more energy, being stronger, maintaining functional independence, looking and feeling good, losing weight to lower the risk of chronic disease, and boosting longevity to have many more quality years of life with your loved ones.

Own your “why” because it keeps you going when you feel like quitting.

You absolutely can achieve your fitness goals in 2021 – or at least get closer than last year. If you don’ want to be back at square January 1 next year, remember to create a fitness plan that’s simple and easy to stick with, set realistic goals, and own your why to stay intrinsically motivated on the days you feel like quitting.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay