Fitness Tips: How to Stay Consistent with Exercising this New Year 

By Nicole Maher

With the new year comes new motivation to start exercising and achieving your fitness goals. However, sometimes this motivation disappears quickly and we find ourselves falling out of our fitness routines early on. If you are looking to create a workout routine that you can stick to all year, try incorporating some of the following fitness tips to start you off on the right path as the new year begins. 

Use these five fitness tips to help you exercise consistently in the New Year.

1. Set realistic goals: One mistake that many people make when setting fitness goals at the beginning of the year is to expect extreme results right away. Rather than starting out the year with one large goal, try to make smaller goals for you to achieve as the year progresses. Having a smaller amount of weight to lose each month, or a specific food to cut back on, is better than focusing on one large goal that may end up seeming unachievable. As you reach your smaller goals, you will eventually reach the same end result you desired from the beginning. 

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2. Recruit a friend: You are more likely to stick to any kind of routine when someone else is holding you accountable, so recruiting a friend to help you through your fitness journey is a beneficial step. While you and your friend may not be able to workout together, or even have the same fitness plan, having someone to report to following a workout can make you more likely to complete it. Keeping a weekly planner where you can cross-off completed workouts is another great way to hold yourself accountable and feel like you are making progress.

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3. Expand your plan: You may have so much motivation in the beginning of the year that you overload yourself with new workouts. However, making your fitness routine too big at the beginning can cause you to burnout faster. Instead, try making a fitness plan that allows for room to grow and expand. Focus on one or two specific areas of fitness for the first few weeks, then gradually add different workouts as the year progresses. This will make you feel even more productive as well as allow your body to gain the necessary strength needed to complete a heavy fitness routine. 

4. Make it enjoyable: When you are doing workouts that you don’t necessarily enjoy, it makes it much more difficult to stick to your plan. Rather than selecting the most popular workouts, or the ones that are promised to give you the best results, use this fitness tip to select workouts you know that you’ll enjoy. If you are not a huge fan of running, try getting cardio in other forms, such as dancing. The more you enjoy your personal workout routine and look forward to completing it each day, the more likely you are to stick with that plan long-term. 

5. Have patience with yourself: One of the main reasons that people give up on their fitness goals shortly after starting is because they lose patience. In a world of two-week diets and short fitness plans, it is normal to feel frustrated when we don’t see results as quickly as promised. However, it is usually both unrealistic and unhealthy to drastically change your body that quickly. Rather than losing patience and quitting your plan early on, keep reminding yourself that fitness plans take time to get the desired results, and that everyday you’re getting closer to your goal!

What are some other fitness tips to help you exercise consistently throughout the New Year? Start a conversation in the comments below!