How to successfully implement your fitness New Year's resolutions

Every year again: every resolution to do more for our bodies gives us motivation for our goals in the new year. As you may know from your own experience, however, implementing and achieving the resolutions we set is then much more difficult. 

For this reason, it is very important to develop a fitness routine to achieve the desired, realistic goals in your sport.

In the spirit of your resolution, it is important to find a suitable strategy that gives you support, which you can align yourself with or even pick yourself up when your everyday laziness, which usually shies away from effort and discipline, tries to take over the helm of your life again. 

A study of New Year's resolutions found that approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. Resolutions - i.e. desired goals - should therefore be realistic and formulated as specifically as possible. Resolving to become a better athlete is very commendable, but ultimately it is too vague and too unspecific, making it almost impossible to achieve the goal. 

More promising, however, are manageable and verifiable resolutions, such as going running three times a week and doing strength training twice a week. A positive inner attitude creates a healthy commitment in you, which is very beneficial to your performance goals. On the other hand, stubbornness creates a negative performance balance. 

Conclusion: You should not put too much pressure on yourself with your resolutions. This can be counterproductive, as a study shows. To achieve your  If you want to achieve your fitness goals, it is therefore important to plan your daily effort as a fixed amount of time in your daily routine. 

Scientists at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania have discovered that setbacks on the way to achieving a goal are quite normal.

To successfully implement your New Year’s resolutions, it is not about being perfect, but to accept failure as an intermediate stage and to learn from your fallibility  to be inspired.

Psychologists at Stockholm University conducted monthly surveys of 1,000 subjects over a year and found that 59 percent of those who had formulated an active goal resolution at the beginning of the year were successful in achieving their goal twelve months later, while the "avoiders" were only successful at 47 percent. The average success rate was 55 percent, which the scientists say is an astonishingly good figure. 

In order to specifically support you in implementing your fitness resolutions, I will list the points below that are particularly important for you:

1 | DETERMINE THE WHY

When you think about your resolution or goal again, consider why it is important to you. Your "why" should be strong enough to keep you on track, even in times when motivation is low. Once you are clear about what your goal is and why you want to achieve it, you can get to work and create your action plan. Let's say your original goal is to lose weight. However, after careful consideration, you realize that your real motivation is to improve your mood, feel more quality of life, and be able to cope better with everyday life. These reasons have more meaning and will encourage you to be more consistent and stick to your goals.

2 | BUILD A BRIDGE

Knowing what your resolution is and why you want to achieve it doesn't mean you'll be motivated right away. It helps to be practical and honest in your analysis to assess where you are now and what lifestyle changes need to be made to achieve your goal. This is where you start to build a bridge from where you are to where you want to be. Remember the skills and qualities you have that have helped you overcome obstacles and succeed in the past. Now it's time to apply those skills to achieve the desired outcome. Focus on the positive and what has worked in the past; don't let negative self-talk derail your efforts.

3 | SET REALISTIC GOALS

Time management is an essential part of goal setting. One tool for this is to develop an action plan to achieve your resolution, which should be self-determined, measurable, attractive, achievable and time-bound. Formulate your goal very precisely and define for yourself which parameters should be met. Think about how you want to measure your success and check your progress weekly, e.g. a time limit or a certain distance. Get a calendar and set a time frame for achieving your goal and mark small intermediate goals. This serves as motivation and a check. Start with small changes that fit well into your daily routine and expand them over time. For example, if you have a lot to do in the first quarter of the year, it is unrealistic to plan a 60-minute workout five times a week. Nothing is more demotivating than a goal that is not achievable. Determine for yourself what emotions achieving this goal will evoke in you. If we associate a goal with joyful emotions and imagine that we have already achieved it, there is a high probability that it will be realized.

4 | KEEP A TRAINING AND NUTRITION DIARY

By recording your training sessions and eating habits, you ensure that you are on the right track and get an extra dose of motivation. Make a daily note of which exercises you did (intensity and number of repetitions) and how you felt while doing them. Writing down what you eat during the day and at what times for a certain period of time can show you which meals and snacks have the greatest impact on your well-being and performance - both positively and negatively. After 1-2 months, you can then see exactly which days you were particularly efficient and possibly make changes for yourself and adjust your diet. 

5 | FITNESS SHOULD BE FUN

Remember that fitness can and should be fun if you want to stay consistent, so choose activities that you enjoy. Following the latest trends that you don't enjoy won't help you in the long run and can be counterproductive. Exercise is very individual for each person and no exercise program is equally good for everyone. It's important that you create sessions or take classes that feel good for you. Willpower doesn't last forever and being reluctant to go to the gym increases the chance that you'll give up on your good intentions. Arranging to exercise with friends can also help keep motivation high. 

6 | HEALTHY NUTRITION

Food not only provides energy for your workouts, but is also essential for good regeneration and building muscle. Fast recovery after workouts is the top priority. If the body recovers quickly from sporting activities, energy resources are conserved and the immune and hormonal systems are less stressed. The food you eat before and after physical exertion is essential. Choose foods that are as natural as possible, because many of the commercially sold sports foods contain artificial flavorings, refined carbohydrates, denatured proteins and bad fats. In addition to a wholesome diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal or potatoes, and valuable proteins mainly from plant sources such as lentils, beans and soy products, fresh juices also support performance and regeneration. 

7 | ONE STEP AT A TIME

Change your mindset to view fitness as part of your self-care routine. Re-establish a beginner's mindset and focus on improving slowly while keeping in mind your "why": the reasons that will motivate you and underpin your success. When it comes to fitness-related goals, it's wise to focus on where you are now and celebrate the small wins rather than hoping for where you will be in 12 months. Be patient with yourself and also remember that some days will be easier than others.

Final Thoughts

The secret to success lies within each of us. Regardless of the goal, the right attitude and supporting the body's own energy can only bring out the best in all of us. Strive for progress, not perfection. Success has never had anything to do with perfection. It's about the willingness to want to change something. Celebrate your successes along the way - nothing can take them away from you. You'll be surprised what happens when you start to see exercise as one of many opportunities to feel good, rather than as an obligation to do everything right.

Are you looking for more energy in your everyday life? Then you can read about the benefits of juice fasting in this blog post .